746.7  T565T 


THE  TIFFANY  STUDIOS 


COLLECTION  OF 

BEAUTIFUL  OLD 

Chinese  Rugs  and  Carpets 


TO  r  'OLD  UNDER  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF 

THE  AMERICAN  ART  ASSOCIATION 

AT  THE  AMERICAN  ART  GALLERIES 

MADISON  SQUARE  SOUTH 
NEW  YORK 


\ 

\ 


ON  FREE  PUBLIC  VIEW 

FROM  9  A.M  UNTIL  6  P.M. 

AT  THE  AMERICAN  ART  GALLERIES 

MADISON  SQUARE  SOUTH,  NEW  YORK 

FROM  SATURDAY,  APRIL  22nd,  UNTIL  THE  MORNING 
OF  THE  DATE  OF  SALE 


THE  TIFFANY  STUDIOS 
COLLECTION  OF 
BEAUTIFUL  OLD 

Chinese  Rugs  and  Carpets 


112569 

TO  BE  SOLD  AT  UNRESTRICTED  PUBLIC  SALE 

AT  THE  AMERICAN  ART  GALLERIES 

ON  FRIDAY  AND  SATURDAY  AFTERNOONS 
APRIL  28th  AND  29th,  1916 

BEGINNING  EACH  DAY  AT  3  O’CLOCK 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Duke  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/illustratedcatal01tiff 


11.2569 


No.  84.  CHINESE  SAPPHIRE  BLUE  RUG 


ILLUSTRATED  CATALOGUE 
u 

OF  A  GRAND  COLLECTION  OF 


BEAUTIFUL  OLD 

Chinese  Rugs  and  Carpets 


TO  BE  SOLD  AT  UNRESTRICTED  PUBLIC  SALE 

BY  DIRECTION  OF 

THE  TIFFANY  STUDIOS 

ON  THE  AFTERNOONS  HEREIN  STATED 

AT  THE  AMERICAN  ART  GALLERIES 

MADISON  SQUARE  SOUTH 


THE  SALE  WILL  BE  CONDUCTED  BY 

MR.  THOMAS  E.  KIRBY,  OF 

THE  AMERICAN  ART  ASSOCIATION,  MANAGERS 

MADISON  SQUARE  SOUTH,  NEW  YORK 


/H- 


<£> ' 


S 


1 


THE  AMERICAN  ART  ASSOCIATION 
DESIGNS  ITS  CATALOGUES  AND  DIRECTS 
ALL  DETAILS  OF  ILLUSTRATION 
TEXT  AND  TYPOGRAPHY 


New  York,  January  28,  1916. 

American  Art  Association, 

New  York,  N.  Y. 

Gentlemen : 

Following  our  personal  interview,  we  confirm  the  decision  to 
dispose  of  our  large  collection  of  antique  Chinese  rugs  at  public 
sale  through  the  American  Art  Association. 

This  company  was  the  pioneer  in  presenting,  to  individual 
collectors  and  to  the  public,  fine  and  authentic  specimens  of 
Chinese  art  in  weaving,  and  it  succeeded  in  creating  and  for  many 
years  in  maintaining,  through  its  representatives  in  China  and 
elsewhere,  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  assemblage  of  antique 
Chinese  rugs  in  existence. 

It  is  now  impossible  to  obtain  at  any  reasonable  prices  here 
or  abroad  additional  rugs  of  the  character  and  quality  of  those 
now  offered,  and  as  we  cannot  maintain  the  collection  indefinitely 
at  its  present  high  standard,  we  prefer  not  to  continue  a  distinct 
department  devoted  entirely  to  Chinese  rugs,  but  to  dispose  of 
the  entire  collection  while  it  is  still  perfect.  The  opportunity  is 
one  not  likely  to  be  offered  again,  and  is  of  peculiar  interest  to 
collectors  and  to  all  who  appreciate  the  value  and  significance 
of  antique  Chinese  rugs. 

There  will  be  absolutely  no  reservations,  but  every  rug  will 
be  offered  at  unrestricted  public  sale. 

Yours  very  truly. 

Tiffany  Studios. 


CONDITIONS  OF  SALE 

1.  Any  bid  which  is  merely  a  nominal  or  fractional  advance  may 
be  rejected  by  the  auctioneer,  if,  in  his  judgment,  such  bid  would  be 
likely  to  affect  the  sale  injuriously. 

2.  The  highest  bidder  shall  be  the  buyer,  and  if  any  dispute 
arise  between  two  or  more  bidders,  the  auctioneer  shall  either  decide 
the  same  or  put  up  for  re-sale  the  lot  so  in  dispute. 

3.  Payment  shall  be  made  of  all  or  such  part  of  the  purchase 
money  as  may  be  required,  and  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  pur¬ 
chasers  shall  be  given  immediately  on  the  sale  of  every  lot,  in  default 
of  which  the  lot  so  purchased  shall  be  immediately  put  up  again  and 
re-sold. 

Payment  of  that  part  of  the  purchase  money  not  made  at  the 
time  of  sale  shall  be  made  within  ten  days  thereafter,  in  default  of 
which  the  undersigned  may  cither  continue  to  hold  the  lots  at  the 
risk  of  the  purchaser  and  take  such  action  as  may  be  necessary  for 
the  enforcement  of  the  sale,  or  may  at  public  or  private  sale,  and 
without  other  than  this  notice,  re-sell  the  lots  for  the  benefit  of  such 
purchaser,  and  the  deficiency  (if  any)  arising  from  such  re-sale  shall 
be  a  charge  against  such  purchaser. 

4.  Delivery  of  any  purchase  will  be  made  only  upon  payment 
of  the  total  amount  due  for  all  purchases  at  the  sale. 

Deliveries  will  be  made  on  sales  days  between  the  hours  of  9 
A.  M.  and  1  P.  M.,  and  on  other  days — except  holidays — between  the 
hours  of  9  A.  M.  and  5  P.  Al. 

Delivery  of  any  purchase  will  be  made  only  at  the  American  Art 
Galleries,  or  other  place  of  sale,  as  the  case  may  be,  and  only  on  pre¬ 
senting  the  bill  of  purchase. 

Delivery  may  be  made,  at  the  discretion  of  the  Association,  of 
any  purchase  during  the  session  of  the  sale  at  which  it  was  sold. 

5.  Shipping,  boxing  or  wrapping  of  purchases  is  a  business  in 
which  the  Association  is  in  no  wise  engaged,  and  will  not  be  performed 
by  the  Association  for  purchasers.  The  Association  will,  however, 
afford  to  purchasers  every  facility  for  employing  at  current  and 
reasonable  rates  carriers  and  packers;  doing  so,  however,  without  any 
assumption  of  responsibility  on  its  part  for  the  acts  and  charges  of 
the  parties  engaged  for  such  service. 

6.  Storage  of  any  purchase  shall  be  at  the  sole  risk  of  the  pur¬ 
chaser.  Title  passes  upon  the  fall  of  the  auctioneer’s  hammer,  and 
thereafter,  while  the  Association  will  exercise  due  caution  in  caring 


for  and  delivering  such  purchase,  it  will  not  hold  itself  responsible  if 
such  purchase  be  lost,  stolen,  damaged  or  destroyed. 

Storage  charges  will  be  made  upon  all  purchases  not  removed 
within  ten  days  from  the  date  of  the  sale  thereof. 

7.  Guarantee  is  not  made  either  by  the  owner  or  the  Association 
of  the  correctness  of  the  description,  genuineness  or  authenticity  of 
any  lot,  and  no  sale  will  be  set  aside  on  account  of  any  incorrectness, 
error  of  cataloguing,  or  any  imperfection  not  noted.  Every  lot  is 
on  public  exhibition  one  or  more  days  prior  to  its  sale,  after  which 
it  is  sold  “as  is”  and  without  recourse. 

The  Association  exercises  great  care  to  catalogue  every  lot  cor¬ 
rectly,  and  will  give  consideration  to  the  opinion  of  any  trustworthy 
expert  to  the  effect  that  any  lot  has  been  incorrectly  catalogued,  and, 
in  its  judgment,  may  either  sell  the  lot  as  catalogued  or  make  mention 
of  the  opinion  of  such  expert,  who  thereby  would  become  responsible 
for  such  damage  as  might  result  were  his  opinion  without  proper 
foundation. 


AMERICAN  ART  ASSOCIATION, 

American  Art  Galleries, 
Madison  Square  South, 

New  York  City. 


CATALOGUE 


FIRST  AFTERNOON’S  SALE 

FRIDAY,  APRIL  28,  1916 

AT  THE  AMERICAN  ART  GALLERIES 

BEGINNING  AT  3  o’cEOCK 


No.  1 


TWO  “ SACKED  MOUNTAIN”  CHAIR  SEATS 

Length ,  2  feet  3  inches;  width,  2  feet  2  inches 


On  a  pale  tawny  shade  of  apricot,  the  Sacred  Mountain  of  the 
Pearly  Emperor  in  dark,  light  blue  and  ivory  is  centered,  rising 
from  the  waves  which  are  the  decoration  at  the  lower  part  of 
the  pieces.  The  arched  ends  are  completed  by  a  floral  border 
in  similar  coloring  to  that  used  elsewhere  in  the  rugs.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  2 


THE  “ CRACKLE ”  MAT 


Length,  2  feet  3  inches;  width,  2  feet  3  inches 


v> 


The  entire  mat,  including  center  and  border  to  the  outside  edge, 
a  solid  ground  of  rich,  deep  sapphire-blue  with  a  fine  sheen. 
The  field  is  broken  with  a  series  of  irregular-shaped  thin  lines  in 
lighter  blue  giving  a  crackle  effect,  and  on  this  are  laid  small, 
simply  drawn  bits  of  ornament  in  tawny  apricot  shades.  There 
is  a  single  border  carrying  a  conventional  flower  and  scroll  orna¬ 
mentation  in  like  coloring  with  the  addition  of  ivory.  Chien- 
lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  3 

“GRAINS  OF  RICE ”  DESIGN  BORDER  MAT 

Length ,  2  3  inches;  -width,  2  /eef  3  inches 

On  a  putty-colored  field  four  conventional  peony  sprays,  in  dark 
brownish  gold  and  a  light  gold  brightened  by  two  shades  of  blue, 
are  placed  in  the  corners  leaving  an  undecorated  center  on  which 
is  laid  a  circular  medallion  formed  by  the  same  flower  using  only 
the  shades  of  gold.  The  rug  is  distinguished  by  the  main  border, 
which  is  a  boldty  drawn  single  row  of  the  grain  of  rice  design 
in  dark  blue  on  a  gold  field  relieved  with  apricot.  Chien-lung. 


No.  4 

SMALL  TAN  SQUARE  MAT 

Length,  2  feet  6  inches;  width,  2  feet  4  inches 

The  center  is  the  rice  pattern  in  an  ivory  yellow  and  pale  brown 
so  closely  merged  in  color  as  to  give  almost  a  shadow  effect.  The 
border  is  a  swastika  fret  in  the  lightest  shade  placed  on  the  deep¬ 
est  shade  of  tan  as  a  background  lined  off  on  either  side  by  the 
two  lighter  shades,  the  whole  forming  a  very  soft  and  pleasing 
ensemble.  K’ang-hsi. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  5 

""  TWO  CHINESE  MATS 

Respective  lengths,  2  feet  7  inches,  2  feet  9  inches ;  widths,  2  feet  6  inches, 

2  feet  7  inches 

These  Chien-lung  pieces  were  woven  in  Western  (’lima  and  are 
an  interesting  pair  of  temple  chair  seats  in  that  they  vary  quite 
materially  in  texture  from  the  accepted  type,  being  very  much 
more  substantial  in  weave.  The  field  is  a  soft  pomegranate  shade 
with  an  all-over  small  pattern  supported  by  two  borders,  one 
floral  on  a  dark  blue  ground  and  the  other  the  same  field  as  the 
center  and  carrying  an  attractive  shade  of  jade  in  fret  pattern. 
Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  6 


DARK  BLUE  AND  GOLD  MAT 


Length,  3  feet  5  inches;  width,  1  foot  11  inches 


The  field,  which  runs  out  under  the  design  in  the  border,  is  old 
gold.  There  is  a  floral  and  geometrical  central  medallion  in  dark 
blue  outlined  with  light  blue  and  ivory.  The  corners  and  balance 
of  the  field  are  gracefully  decorated  with  floral  sprays  prin¬ 
cipally  in  dark  blue  outlined  with  a  very  small  amount  of  the 
robin’s-egg  shade  of  light  blue  used  in  the  medallion  and  a  dull 
ivory.  The  border  is  single-running  swastika  fret  in  the  same 
very  deep  blue  used  elsewhere  in  the  center.  The  entire  atmos¬ 
phere  of  the  rug,  because  of  the  depth  of  the  colors  employed, 
is  more  virile  and  dignified  than  the  majority  of  the  small  pieces 
of  this  size.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  7 


“ SACRED  DEER ”  MAT 

Length,  3  feet  6  inches;  width,  1  foot  11  inches 


The  field  is  ivory  and  at  either  end  are  placed  a  Sacred  Deer 
and  a  flying  crane,  symbols  of  happiness,  principally  in  dark 
blue,  and  trees  in  apricot  and  pale  yellow.  The  border  is  a  simple 


swastika  running  fret  in  dark  blue  on  a  pale  yellow  ground. 
Chien-lung. 


No.  8 


DISK  DESIGN  MAT 

Length,  3  feet  9  inches;  width,  2  feet  1  inch 


A  most  distinct  note  of  color  is  found  in  the  antelope  gray  back¬ 
ground  of  both  center  and  border.  The  field  is  sprinkled  with 
clusters  of  three  flat  disks  in  the  corners  and  single  ones  regu¬ 
larly  spaced  to  give  an  all-over  effect.  The  detail  is  definite  but 
not  important  and  the  colors  are  principally  in  the  blues  and 
apricot.  The  unusual  feature  of  the  design  is  the  definite  ar¬ 
rangement  and  perfect  balance  adhered  to,  which  does  not  occur 
in  the  use  of  this  kind  of  ornament  in  other  rugs  of  the  size. 
Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  9 

SMALL  DIAPER  PATTERN  MAT 

.  Length,  4  feet  2  inches;  width,  2  feet  1  inch 

rtt-uuc 

The  center  is  a  conventionalized  rice  design,  the  colors  of  which 
are  dark  blue  and  apricot  outlined  with  ivory  on  a  cool  yellow 
ground.  The  apricot  and  ivory  tones  have  become  so  like  the 
ground  with  use  and  fading  that  the  effect  is  almost  entirely 
as  black  ornament  on  a  yellow  field.  There  is  a  white  dotted 
border  enclosing  this,  surrounded  by  a  narrow  band  carrying 
the  Wall  of  Troy  in  light  blue,  the  field  of  both  these  being 
sapphire.  The  main  border  is  reciprocal,  showing  a  half  diamond¬ 
shaped  rosette  separated  by  a  narrow  band  of  sapphire  with 
a  small  dotted  line  which  breaks  it.  Apricot  and  ivory  are  the 
predominant  notes  in  the  rosettes,  although  there  is  considerable 
robin’s-egg  blue,  giving  an  added  touch  of  interest  to  the  design. 
Chien-lung. 


0  ~ 


No.  10 

EMBLEMATIC  BORDER  MAT 


Length,  4  feet  1  inch:  width,  2  feet  2  inches 

The  field  is  a  tawny  pink  across  which  is  thrown  a  small  diaper 
pattern,  floral  in  motif,  in  light  blue  and  soft  yellow  enlivened 
by  some  deep  blue  and  ivory.  The  medallion  and  corner  pieces 
have  a  field  of  yellow  with  floral  decoration  principally  in  the 
shades  of  blue.  The  border  is  the  feature  having  a  background 
of  imperial  yellow  and  full  blossomed  peonies  in  apricot  and 
ivory  with  vine  and  leaf  formation  in  deep  blue,  ivory  and  light 
blue,  alternating  with  significant  emblems  in  similar  colorings 
and  very  gracefully  drawn.  Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  11 


SWASTIKA  MEDALLION  MAT 

Length,  4  feet  2  inches;  width,  2  feet  2  inches 


The  field  of  both  center  and  border  is  a  warm  apricot.  A  central 
medallion  and  the  corners  are  geometrical  in  dark  blue,  light 
blue  and  ivory.  The  interspaces  between  are  filled  with  a  many- 
blossomed  floral  spray  in  these  colors,  enriched  with  the  addi¬ 
tion  of  pale  gold.  There  is  a  white  dotted  band  of  dark  blue 
enclosing  two  narrow  lines  of  lighter  blue.  The  main  border  is 
a  very  handsome  rendition  of  the  peony  scroll  with  the  scroll 
in  either  dark  and  light  blue  or  pale  yellow  and  ivory,  with 
blossoms  in  ivory  and  a  deep  apricot.  Chien-lung. 


No.  12 


IMPERIAL  YELLOW  MAT 

Length,  4  feet;  width,  2  feet  4  inches 


The  field  is  a  shade  of  imperial  yellow  softened  by  time,  with 
floral  decoration  in  soft  brown  and  ivory  with  apricot  and  two 
shades  of  blue.  The  border  has  a  warm  apricot  field  with  a  peony 
blossom  in  full  bloom  and  its  attendant  spray,  forming  a  con¬ 
tinuous  scroll.  K'ang-hsi. 


/30 


No.  13 

ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 

Length,  5  feet  7  inches;  width,  3  feet  4  inches 


The  ground  is  an  old  tone  of  gold  over  which  is  worked  a  small 
repetitive  lattice  effect  in  apricot  and  blue.  The  border  is  a 
dark  blue  swastika  fret  on  an  apricot  field.  Iv’ang-hsi. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  13.  ANTIQUE  CHINESE  RUG 


First  Afternoon 


No.  14 

DRAGON  MEDALLION  MAT 

Length,  4  feet  8  inches;  -width,  2  feet  4  inches 

On  a  blanc-de-Chine  ground  four  dragons  supporting  a  filleted 
grain  of  rice  for  a  central  medallion,  the  colors  being  prin¬ 
cipally  light  blue  relieved  with  dark  blue  and  a  touch  of  apricot. 
The  balance  of  the  field  is  well  covered  with  large  open  blos¬ 
soms  with  extended  spray  formation,  all  in  dark  and  light  blue. 
The  border  is  a  running  fret  in  a  dark  blue  shade,  with  light  blue, 
on  the  same  light  ground  as  the  center  field  with  a  broad  band  of 
deep  blue  around  the  outside.  Chien-lung. 


No.  15 

NARROW  APRICOT  RUG 

^  I  ^  Length,  5  feet;  width,  2  feet  6  inches 

The  field  is  of  apricot  and  this  carries  out  as  the  ground  of 
the  border.  The  field  is  ornamented  with  a  medallion  and  two 
elaborate  flower  and  spray  formations  with  smaller  foliate  deco¬ 
ration  in  each  corner,  all  in  light  blue  and  dark  blue  with  a  bit  of 
ivory.  The  border  design  is  the  same  as  that  used  in  the  center 
conventionalized  to  conform  to  the  space  and  making  a  running 
scroll  effect.  The  main  border  is  supplemented  only  by  narrow 
stripes  of  the  same  color.  Chien-lung. 


No.  16 

POMEGRANATE  RED  MAT 

Length,  5  feet  11  inches;  width,  2  feet  9  inches 

An  eighteenth  century  example  with  a  shade  of  pomegranate 
red  in  the  background,  the  ornament  being  principally  in  dark 
and  light  blue  and  ivory,  the  whole  surrounded  by  a  simple  run¬ 
ning  fret  in  the  same  colors  and  on  the  same  background  as  the 
field.  Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  17 


TAO-KUANG  RUG 

kJ  Length,  6  feet  5  inches;  width,  3  feet  2  inches 


On  a  dark  tan  ground,  various  symbols  of  the  Literati  and  floral 
patterns  are  profusely  sprinkled  in  dark  red,  dark  and  light  blue 
and  peach  color,  with  a  touch  of  green  here  and  there.  The 
border  is  floral  in  similar  colors.  Tao-kuang. 


No.  18 

SYMBOLS  OF  LONGEVITY  RUG 

Length,  6  feet;  width,  3  feet  10  inches 

Upon  a  deep  rich  yellow  tan,  divisions  are  bounded  bv  dark  blue 
forms  in  each  of  which  are  significant  objects  in  a  deep  shade 
of  tan,  twin  bats  in  one,  a  peach  on  a  twig  in  another.  The 
border  is  blue  and  tan  carrying  a  running  swastika  design.  Ming. 


No.  19 

PAVEMENT  TILE  RUG 

Length,  6  feet;  width,  4  feet  3  inches 

A  very  early  rendition  of  a  diaper  pattern,  the  idea  being  taken 
either  from  pavement  or  wall  tile.  Small  tawny  octagons  out¬ 
lined  in  dark  and  light  blue  form,  with  a  connecting  small  square 
with  a  crude  cross  in  the  middle  in  dark  blue,  an  all-over  effect. 
A  single  boi’der  of  dark  blue  swastika  on  a  light  field  completes 
the  rug.  Ming. 


First  Afternoon 


y  - 


No.  20 

OLD  MING  HUG 


e[\ur 


Length,  6  feet  10  inches;  width,  3  feet  10  inches 


A  small  rendering  of  the  lotus  flower  in  light  blue  and  gold  is 
carried  on  an  outlined  field  of  deep  peaeli  color,  and  in  the 
centers  of  the  diamonds  are  flower  forms  in  pale  gold.  The 
border  is  a  dark  blue  swastika  fret  on  a  tawny  ground.  Ming. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  21 

ORANGE  GOLD  SQUARE 

Length,  5  feet  11  inches ;  width,  4  feet  2  inches 

The  field  is  a  deep  shade  of  red  gold,  literally  an  orange  tone, 
with  a  small  central  medallion  showing  a  rockery  with  chrysan¬ 
themums  in  ivory,  apricot  and  dark  and  light  blue,  with  small 
birds  singing  in  the  branches.  The  remainder  of  the  field  is 
filled  with  large  peony  blossoms  and  butterflies  in  similar  shades 
to  those  used  in  the  medallion.  The  main  border  is  floral,  also  in 
the  same  colors,  and  separating  the  floral  sprays  are  various 
symbols  each  with  its  fillet.  Yung-ch’eng. 


No.  22 

K’ANG-HSI  RUG 

Length,  6  feet  4  inches;  width,  4  feel  2  inches 

This  rug  has  a  very  soft  shade  of  pinkish  brown  ground;  the 
central  medallion  is  a  dragon  head  scroll  in  peach  color  with 
touches  of  light  blue  and  ivory,  surrounded  by  a  beautiful  floral 
band  in  pale  yellow  and  apricot.  The  ground  is  particularly 
interesting,  being  covered  with  symbols  of  the  Eight  Literati  and 
of  household  adornment,  butterflies,  etc.,  in  charming  tones  of 
apricot,  yellow,  dark  and  light  blue  and  ivory.  The  main  border 
on  a  soft  yellow  ivory  ground  has  a  dragon  head  flower  spray 
supporting  a  central  blossom  running  around  the  rug.  Iv’ang-hsi. 


No.  20.  OLD  MING  RUG 


First  Afternoon 


No.  23 


YUNG-CH'ENG  RUG 


Length,  0’  feet  1  inches;  width,  4  feet  8  inches. 


An  all-over  pattern  of  flat  flower  forms  is  laid  on  a  seal  ground 
separated  by  clusters  of  yellow  dots ;  on  this  is  laid  a  mirror-back 
medallion  in  a  cool  ivory,  the  center  of  which  is  a  blossom  in 
warm  apricot  and  yellow  supplemented  with  a  scroll  in  dark  blue. 
In  each  corner  is  placed  a  dark  and  light  blue  blossom  outlined 
in  ivory.  There  is  a  blue  border  carrying  an  ivory  fret  sur¬ 
rounded  by  a  scroll  broken  here  and  there  with  a  flower.  Around 
the  outside  of  this  is  a  plain  band  of  seal,  about  two  inches  wide. 
Yung-ch’eng. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  24 


^  - 


DRAGON  SCROLL  RUG 

Length,  6  feet  9  inches;  width,  4  feet  6  inches 


This  is  a  Ming  specimen,  the  design  being  composed  of  dragon¬ 
head  scrolls  supporting  a  central  geometrical  scroll  very  simply 
drawn,  placed  on  a  darkish  tan  field,  the  corners  being  a  repeti¬ 
tion  of  the  central  design.  The  two  outside  borders  are  very 
simple  both  in  color  and  drawing,  and  as  a  specimen  of  the  plain 
yet  dignified  severity  of  the  period,  this  fabric  is  an  excellent 
example.  Ming. 


No.  25 


“ GRAIN  OF  RICE ”  SQUARE 


Length,  6  feet  4  inches;  width,  5  feet  6  inches 


A  soft  shade  of  imperial  yellow  is  the  background  for  the  rice 
pattern  in  apricot  and  brown.  The  border  is  floral  in  similar 
colorings.  This  rug  because  of  the  severe  wear  to  which  it  has 
been  subjected,  has  mellowed  to  a  marked  degree  and  yet  has 
retained  an  unusual  brilliancy  of  color.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  23. 


YUNG-CH'ENG  KUG 


First  Afternoon 


No.  26 

WAVE  MOTIF  RUG 

Length,  6  feet  11  inches;  width,  4  feet  4  inches 

A  large  wave  motif  in  yellow  and  dark  blue  and  brown  at  either 
end  of  the  central  panel  carries  a  large  representation  of  the 
lotus  in  full  bloom  in  like  coloring.  The  borders  are  principally 
yellow  and  seal  brown.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  27 

CLOUD  BAND  RUG 

^  Length,  7  feet;  width,  4  feet  6  inches 

r\C _ 

The  field  is  a  clear  yellow  gold  on  which  are  carefully  placed 
formal  renditions  of  the  cloud  band  ornament  in  blue,  brown  and 
apricot,  quite  regularly  spaced.  The  border  is  of  sapphire  over¬ 
laid  with  a  very  conventional  foliate  scroll,  mainly  in  the  same 
color  as  the  field  of  the  center.  K’ang-hsi. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  28 


BLUE  AND  WHITE  ALL-OVER  SCROLL  RUG 


Length,  7  feet  3  inches;  width,  5  feet  6  inches 


Well-drawn  blossoms  in  full  maturity  in  dark  and  light  blue  are 
irregularly  placed  on  a  dark  blue  vine,  relieved  with  touches  of 
light  blue,  and  this  forms  an  equi-balanced  all-over  design  on 
a  cream  background.  The  borders  are  in  dark  blue,  the  inner 
a  small  diaper  design,  the  outer  or  main  border  a  light  blue  and 
cream-colored  floral  scroll  on  a  deep  sapphire  background. 
Chien-lung. 


No.  27.  CI.OUD  BAND  RUG 


First  Afternoon 


/  *7f. 


No.  29 

ANTIQUE  TURKESTAN  SILK  RUG 

Length,  8  feet;  •width,  5  feet 


On  a  light  red  field  the  small  all-over  floral  design  typical  of  many 
of  the  weavings  from  this  district  is  worked  in  blues  and  greens. 
The  border  is  a  small  swastika  running  fret  in  shades  of  blue 
and  green  surrounded  by  a  plain  band  of  the  same  light  red  as 
the  center.  The  rug  is  woven  in  raw  silk  and  the  pile  is  both 
deep  and  lustrous.  Chien-lung. 


No.  30 

“ KNOT  OF  DESTINY ”  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  2  inches;  width,  5  feet  1  inch 


Small  geometrical-shaped  medallions  in  light  blue  outlining  a 
darker  shade  of  blue  are  laid  on  a  field  of  peachblow,  and  in  the 
reserves  formed  by  these  small  outlined  medallions  are  small 
floral  forms  alternating  with  the  Knot  of  Destiny  in  apricot  and 
brown.  The  field  of  the  border  is  apricot  with  a  foliated  design 
of  the  peony  scroll,  the  whole  enclosed  with  a  plain  band  of  dark 
blue.  Chien-lung. 


No.  31 

/  )/  fl  ^  COPPER  AND  BLUE  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  2  inches;  width,  5  feet  4  inches 

Brilliant  copper  ground  with  butterflies  and  floral  medallions 
and  peony  sprays  in  dark  and  light  blue  and  ivory.  The  ground 
of  the  border  is  in  dark  blue,  light  blue  and  ivory.  Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


/  yr 


No.  32 

OLD  CHINESE  RUG 

^  Length ,  8  feet  2  inches;  width,  5  feet  4  inches 


A  dark  blue  lotus  and  attendant  scroll  is  laid  on  a  copper  ground 
without  other  color  relief.  The  same  copper  tone  is  carried 
through  the  two  borders,  but  relieved  in  one  of  them  by  light 
blue  and  white.  Tao-kuang. 


No.  33 

OLD  K'ANG-HSI  APRICOT  RUG 

Length,  8  feet;  width,  5  feet 

On  a  soft  tawny  apricot  background,  one  larger  central  and 
four  small  floral  medallions  in  dark  and  light  blue,  ivory  and 
imperial  yellow  are  gracefully  balanced,  the  corner  pieces  form¬ 
ing  a  natural  support  to  the  small  ones.  The  open  spaces  in 
the  field  are  decorated  with  flowers  and  butterflies  in  light  blue 
and  imperial  yellow  predominating  and  enriched  by  touches  of 
gold,  brown  and  ivory.  An  imperial  yellow  and  sapphire  T-fret 
encloses  the  field,  surrounded  by  a  wider  border  covered  with  a 
foliate  decoration  in  dark,  light  blue,  ivory  and  apricot.  Iv’ang- 
hsi. 


>N 


No.  34 

CHRYSANTHEMUM  BORDER  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  6  inches;  width,  5  feet  4  inches 

Pale  peach-colored  ground,  the  central  medallion  showing  dark 
blue  and  gold  dragons  guarding  a  filleted  ball,  and  like  dragons 
in  each  corner.  The  balance  of  the  ornament  is  floral  in  single 
tone  of  dark  blue.  The  border  is  a  chrysanthemum  pattern  in 
colors  similar  to  those  used  in  the  field.  K’ang-hsi. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  35 


SYMBOLS  OF  HAPPINESS  RUG 

Length.  8  feet  4  inches;  width,  5  feet  (i  inches 


The  field  is  a  dull  apricot  broken  with  a  swastika  fret  in  pale 
yellow.  The  corners  are  in  strong  deep  blue  outlined  with  a 
robin’s-egg  shade  of  light  blue  with  a  single  swastika  in  the  exact 
corner  in  the  dark  blue  on  an  ivory  ground.  The  medallion  has 
a  conventionalized  cloud  band  in  brownish  apricot  outlined  in 
blue  and  ivory  enclosing  a  reserve  of  apricot  decorated  with  a 
floral  spray  and  butterfly  in  all  the  colors  with  an  additional 
touch  of  peachblow.  At  either  end  of  the  medallion  is  placed  a 
bat,  and  supplementing  this  in  the  open  field  are  large  peon}' 
sprays,  the  predominant  note  of  color  being  dark  blue.  The 
center  both  in  color  and  design  suggests  happiness  in  its  sym¬ 
bolism.  There  is  a  white  dotted  border  in  dark  blue  and  the 
main  border  has  an  imperial  yellow  ground  with  a  foliated  scroll 
in  dark  and  light  blue,  apricot  and  ivory.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  36 


MANCHURIAN  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  8  inches;  width,  5  feet  6  inches 


A  small  all-over  tile  formation  in  ecru,  gold,  shades  of  blue  and 
apricot.  The  main  border  has  an  ivory  field  with  a  running  vine 
with  large  flower  forms  in  tapestry  blues,  apricot  and  gold. 
Around  the  outside  is  a  plain  band  of  seal  brown.  The  quality 
of  the  wool  employed  is  fine  and  soft  and  with  age  has  become 
lustrous.  Yung-ch’eng. 


No.  37 


CHIEN-LUNG  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  6  inches;  width,  5  feet  3  inches 

On  a  dull  shade  of  copper  for  the  field,  large,  open,  connected 
peony  sprays  are  placed  in  dark  blue,  robin’s  egg  blue,  and  ivory. 
The  border  is  geometrical  in  like  coloring.  C'hien-lung. 

( Illustrated ) 


SESScSSSS 


No.  37.  CH’IEN-LUNG  IlL'G 


First  Afternoon 


No.  38 

ANTIQUE  CHI EN -LUNG  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  4  inches;  •width ,  5  feet  4  inches 


On  a  deep  gold  ground  a  small  flower  pattern  is  overlaid  in  peach 
and  ivory.  There  are  also  five  medallions  in  dark  and  light 
blue  and  ivory.  The  ground  of  the  inner  border  is  a  deep  peach 
tone  carrying  a  dark  blue  fret  surrounded  by  an  apricot  ground 
main  border  with  floral  pattern  principally  in  dark  blue,  apricot 
and  ivory.  Chien-lung. 


No.  39 


LOTUS  PANEL  RUG 


Length,  8  feet  11  inches;  width,  5  feet  2  inches 


/^icay 


This  rug  was  woven  in  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of  Chien-lung, 
probably  for  use  as  a  wall  panel.  It  was  undoubtedly  copied 
from  an  early  K’ang-hsi  or  late  Ming  rug  or  embroidery.  The 
field  is  apricot  embossed  with  lotus  blossoms  in  full  bloom,  the 
majority  in  ivory  and  pale  gold  with  a  touch  of  the  blues  in 
a  few  of  the  flowers,  placed  on  an  interlacing  scroll  in  pale  yel¬ 
low,  and  the  borders  have  a  rose  fret  on  a  sapphire  ground  and 
a  sapphire  swastika  running  fret  on  a  brownish  apricot  field. 
The  drawing  is  like  early  renditions  of  this  design  and  the  rug 
is  surrounded  by  a  band  of  corrosive  seal  brown  which  suggests 
late  Ming  derivation  but  other  detail  gives  substantial  proof  that 
it  was  not  so  old  a  product  and  was  made  presumably  in  the 
first  part  of  Chien-lung’s  reign. 


No.  40 

CRANE  MEDALLION  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  11  inches;  width,  5  feet  9  inches 


A  swastika  fret  in  lemon  yellow  is  placed  on  a  reddish  apricot 
ground  and  on  these  are  laid  medallions  in  dark  blue  inset  with 
cranes  in  apricot,  light  blue  and  ivory.  The  borders  are  formal 
and  the  colors  employed  are  light  blue,  apricot,  the  same  lemon 
yellow  used  in  the  center,  and  a  touch  of  dark  blue.  Tao-kuang. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  41 


SWASTIKA  FRET  RUG 

Length,  9  feet;  width,  5  feet  2  inches 


A  blue  and  tan  rug  belonging  to  the  early  Ming  school.  An 
all-over  swastika  fret  in  blue  is  imposed  upon  a  field  of  tan,  and 
bats  in  tan  color  are  scattered  over  the  fret,  which  breaks  the 
regularity  of  the  line  formation.  A  plain  band  of  light  blue 
surrounds  the  field,  and  in  the  wider  border  a  swastika  fret  is 
again  employed  in  dark  blue  upon  an  ecru  ground.  Ming. 


No.  42 

0  —  0LD  K’ANG-HSI  rug 

,  Length,  8  feet  11  inches;  width,  6  feet 

rt  e  $ 

The  field  is  a  brown  apricot  with  a  small  central  medallion  com¬ 
posed  of  a  large  full  blown  peony  blossom  with  its  attendant 
stems  in  dark  blue  and  smaller  blossoms  in  ivory ;  a  touch  of 
color  is  added  by  a  bat  in  soft  pink  facing  the  flower  in  the 
central  reserve.  Four  small  medallions  entirely  differently  ren¬ 
dered  in  drawing  are  placed  in  the  corners,  in  the  center  of  two 
is  a  single  peach  in  the  same  soft  pink  shade  of  the  bat  in  the 
central  medallion,  and  in  the  center  of  the  other  two  a  single 
Hand  of  Buddha  on  its  attendant  twig.  The  rest  of  the  design 
is  floral  in  like  tones,  outlined  by  pink  and  pale  yellow.  The  open 
spaces  are  filled  in  with  butterflies  and  separate  flower  sprays 
in  similar  colors.  The  borders  are  dark,  the  ground  of  both 
being  the  deep  shade  of  blue;  on  one  is  a  fret  in  pink  and  on 
the  other  a  floral  and  dragon-head  scroll  formation  in  contrast¬ 
ing  colors.  K’ang-hsi. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  42a 

CERULEAN  RUG 


Length,  9  feet  1  inch:  width,  4  feet  11  inches 
■ 

I  his  product  of  the  latter  part  of  the  Ming  dynasty  is  verv 
crudely  woven  and  simple  in  ornament.  On  a  field  of  cerulean 
is  laid  a  very  formal  repetitive  cloud  band  in  seal  brown,  two 
shades  of  apricot  and  pale  yellow.  The  border  is  a  running 
swastika  fret  in  the  two  shades  of  apricot  with  a  band  of  cor¬ 
rosive  seal  brown  surrounding  it.  Ming. 


No.  43 

~rd  o  -  OUTLINE  SCROLL  RUG 

Length,  9  feet  2  inches;  width,  5  feet  4  inches 

Kyy 

This  rug  is  typical  of  the  first  examples  of  floral  drawing  ex¬ 
pressed  in  rug  weaving.  The  scroll  upon  which  is  carried  the 
flower  which  forms  the  decoration  on  the  field,  is  a  single  line 
of  deep  blue  rather  stiffly  drawn.  The  medallions  executed  in 
the  same  formal  way  are  placed  on  the  field  at  intervals  and 
carry  the  same  feeling  of  decoration  as  the  other  design.  This 
effect  also  extends  into  the  single  border,  so  that  the  result  is 
in  the  main  a  single  tawny  background  on  which  is  placed  the 
dark  blue  line  ornament.  Ming. 


No.  44 

EARLY  CHINESE  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  11  inches;  width,  5  feet  11  inches 

On  a  light  tan  ground  an  all-over  floral  spray  is  worked  in  dark 
and  light  blue.  The  medallion  and  corners  are  geometrical 
dragon  head  frets  in  like  coloring.  One  border  has  a  dark  blue 
key  on  a  brilliant  peach  ground  and  the  other  has  a  dark  blue 
swastika  fret  on  a  warm  yellow  ground.  Ming. 


First  Afternoon 


/AT- 


No.  45 


GOLD  AXI)  BLUE  HUG 


Length,  9  feet  11  inches;  •width,  5  feet  11  inches 


The  field  is  a  deep  shade  of  old  gold  upon  which  are  placed  five 
medallions  in  which  the  color  is  so  diffused  that  the  medallion 
effect  is  negligible.  The  corners  and  central  medallion  have  bold 
dragon  head  scrolls  in  dark  blue  as  the  chief  motif,  and  the  field 
is  profusely  sprinkled  with  articles  of  household  decoration  and 
flower  sprays  in  dark  and  light  blue,  ivory  and  pale  gold.  The 
borders  are  floral  and  geometrical  in  turn,  but  because  of  the 
peculiar  placement  of  the  dark  blue  throughout  the  ornament, 
it  is  aptly  described  as  a  gold  and  blue  rug.  Early  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  46 


FLAME  COLOR  SQUARE  CARPET 


Length,  9  feet  4  inches;  width,  9  feet 

Ls  ' 


The  field — which  runs  out  under  both  borders,  a  rather  excep¬ 
tional  treatment — is  flame  color  while  all  of  the  design  is  sap¬ 
phire,  a  light  blue  and  white.  The  central  medallion  has  a 
smaller  distinct  medallion  outlined  with  the  field,  which  is  in  tan 
surrounded  by  a  broad,  open  interlacing  pattern,  the  motif  for 
all  being  the  peony  flower.  This  in  turn  is  supported  by  clusters 
composed  of  four  large  blossoms  in  sets  of  two  connected  bv  a 
butterfly  between  each  set,  and  the  corners  are  the  same  flower 
handled  a  little  differently  in  the  drawing.  The  border  is  a 
conventional  shaded  fret  within  another  more  important  border 
using  the  same  flower  as  the  center,  while  around  the  entire  rug 
is  a  broad  band  of  sapphire  which  is  the  predominant  note  of 
color  in  all  of  the  ornament,  supplemented  principally  with  the 
lighter  shade  of  blue  and  the  white,  slightly  relieved  in  a  few 
places  with  a  pale  brown.  The  employment  of  the  same  motif 
for  all  of  the  design  with  the  supplementary  ornament  due  to 
the  use  of  the  butterfly,  gives  this  rug  an  individual  distinction 
due  probably  to  the  fact  that  it  was  made  as  a  bridal  gift. 
Yung-ch’eng. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  47 


/' 


OLD  CHINESE  RUG 


rt 


Length,  9  feet  10  inches;  width,  5  feet 


The  field  is  an  all-over  grain  of  rice  design  in  yellow,  apricot  and 
brown  overlaid  with  five  floral  medallions  with  floral  sprays  spaced 
between  them  in  dark  and  light  blue  principally.  There  is  a  two- 
toned  blue  key  border  surrounding  the  field,  and  the  main  border 
has  a  soft  yellow  ground  with  an  all-over  floral  scroll  in  dark 


and  light  blue. 


ground  with  an  all-over 
fv’ang-hsi. 


No.  48 

THE  LIGHT  BLUE  FRET  RUG 


Length,  9  feet  8  inches;  width,  8  feet  8  inches 


On  a  tawny  apricot  background  is  placed  in  the  center  a  large 
medallion  showing  a  rockery  the  foundation  being  in  an  ex¬ 
quisite  shade  of  light  blue  and  peach  color,  from  which  are  grow¬ 
ing  flowers  with  stems  in  dark  blue  and  the  blossoms  in  light 
blue,  yellow  and  ivory.  The  rest  of  the  field  is  strewn  with  but¬ 
terflies  and  peony  sprays  in  dark  blue,  light  blue  and  clair-de-lune, 
with  a  touch  of  yellow.  A  rather  unusual  feature  of  the  border 
is  the  light  flower  fret  on  the  deep  sapphire  background,  the 
combination  being  particularly  interesting  because  of  the  shade 
of  blue  used  in  the  fret.  This  is  enclosed  by  a  running  foliate 
scroll  in  light  blue,  ivory  and  apricot  on  a  sapphire  ground. 
Iv’ang-hsi. 


No.  49 

ANTIQUE  SAMARCAND  RUG 

Length,  10  feet  1  inch;  width,  5  feet  8  inches 

The  field  is  covered  with  a  small  diaper  design  in  a  red  ground 
with  the  figures  in  two  shades  of  blue  enclosed  by  the  swastika 
border  in  blues  of  many  tones,  with  a  plain  outside  band  of  the 
same  color  as  the  field.  Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  50 

LATE  CHIEN-LUNG  RUG 

Length,  10  feet;  width,  0  feet  3  inches 

A  Western  Chinese  fabric  of  rather  unusual  coloring.  The 
ground  is  a  yellowish  shade  of  pink  and  the  floral  designs  and 
the  medallions  are  in  light  blue  and  ivory  with  touches  of  dark 
blue  and  red.  The  ground  of  the  main  border  is  a  dull  bluish 
green.  Chien-lung. 


/3V 


No.  51 

ANTIQUE  TURKESTAN  RUG 

Length ,  10  feet  8  inches;  width,  6  feet 

This  rug  has  a  red  ground  covered  with  an  all-over  pattern  in 
blue  and  ivory.  The  borders  are  worked  up  principally  in  the 
same  shades  of  red  and  blue  as  used  in  the  field.  Tao-kuang. 


No.  52 


OLD  K'ANG-HSI  RUG 

Length,  10  feet  4  inches;  width,  6  feet  9  inches 

A  dull  tawny  apricot  ground  with  eight  medallions  conventionally 
drawn  in  dark  and  light  blue.  The  field  is  covered  with  flowers 
and  butterflies  in  dark  and  light  blue,  peach  and  ivory.  The  bor¬ 
ders  are  dark  blue  and  peach  color  with  touches  of  apricot. 
K’ang-hsi. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  53 

LARGE  LOTUS  RUG 


Length,  10  feet  3  inches;  width,  7  feet  1  inch 

This  is  an  example  of  Chinese  weaving  made  in  the  first  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  It  illustrates  the  archaic  drawing  of 
the  Western  Lotus,  which  is  in  dark  blue  on  a  soft  brownish- 
apricot  field,  and  surrounded  by  two  geometrical  borders  sup¬ 
ported  by  a  broad  band  of  corrosive  brown.  In  only  the  very 
early  weavings  is  a  single  color  used  in  making  floral  decora¬ 
tions,  and  yet  it  required  some  skill  in  designing  to  obtain  so  good 
an  effect  from  such  color  detail.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  54 

WESTERN  TURKESTAN  RUG 

Length,  11  feet  3  inches;  width,  6  feet  1  inch 

w  oven  in  the  western  part  of  Chinese  Turkestan  where  it  borders 
upon  Samarcand,  this  rug  more  closely  approaches  the  feeling 
of  Samarcand  than  most  of  the  products  of  this  part  of  China. 
The  field  is  a  deep  rose  well-covered  with  the  floral  rosette  forma¬ 
tion  so  frequently  the  motif  of  decoration  in  this  type.  The 
colors  are  largely  in  shades  of  green,  pink  and  dark  blue.  The 
borders  are  in  similar  shades  of  color,  more  geometrical  in  design. 
Tao-kuang. 


No.  55 

THE  FAIENCE  RUG 

Length,  11  feet  8  inches;  width,  6  feet  8  inches 

Small  octagons  with  gold  ground  are  decorated  in  dark  blue, 
light  blue  and  ivory;  these  form  an  all-over  effect  as  if  fine  indi¬ 
vidual  bits  of  faience  were  inset,  connected  by  small  squares  with 
a  gold  field  and  a  single  swastika  in  deep  blue,  the  whole  cemented 
with  a  deep  blue  outline  throughout.  The  only  borders  are  lines 
in  dark  and  light  blue  with  a  clear  shade  of  blanc-de-Chine,  and 
a  broad  deep  outside  band  of  sapphire  quality.  K’ang-hsi. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  56 

OLD  K'ANG-HSI  RUG 

Length,  10  feet  11  inches;  width,  6  feet  3  inches 

A  rug  woven  probably  during  the  early  part  of  the  reign  of 
K’ang-hsi  copied  in  pattern  and  ornament  from  some  of  the 
later  Ming  productions.  The  medallion  and  corner  decoration 
is  of  geometrical  fret  formation  in  dark  blue.  The  only  other 
ornament  in  the  center  are  two  dragon  head  scrolls  in  the  same 
color.  The  field  is  a  reddish  shade  of  apricot  and  is  surrounded 
by  an  ivory  fret  on  a  blue  field  and  a  swastika  fret  in  dark  blue 
on  the  same  colored  field  as  the  center.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  57 

THE  BIRD  MEDALLION  RUG 

Length,  11  feet  4  inches;  width,  5  feet  11  inches 

On  a  salmon  background  the  striking  note  of  ornament  is  the 
central  medallion  displaying  a  rockery  from  which  a  tree  is 
growing,  with  three  distinctly  drawn  birds  singing  in  the 
branches ;  most  of  the  ornament  is  in  deep  blue  relieved  by  light 
blue  and  ivory.  Between  this  medallion  and  the  floral  corner 
pieces  in  similar  coloring,  are  strewn  butterflies,  twigs  with  fruit 
attached,  chrysanthemums  and  other  flora  indigenous  to  China. 
The  main  border  is  a  formal  scroll  principally  in  light  blue  and 
ivory  with  a  touch  of  apricot  on  a  deep  blue  field,  and  the  inner 
is  the  reciprocal  T-fret  in  dark  blue  and  peach,  with  a  plain 
outside  blue  list.  Yung-ch’eng. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  58 

K’ANG-HSI  TURKESTAN  RUG 

Length,  12  feet  2  inches;  width,  6  feet  2  inches 

On  a  dull  red  field  a  dark  blue  lattice  is  traced  in  the  reserves 
of  which  are  formally  drawn,  well-balanced  foliate  ornamenta¬ 
tion  in  dark  blue,  green  and  a  touch  of  brown  and  ivory.  The 
main  border  has  a  dark  blue  field  with  an  all-over  conventional 
small  flower  pattern  laid  in  in  semblance  of  squares  in  the  green, 
red  and  ivory.  This  is  balanced  on  either  side  by  small  narrow 
borders,  the  inner  with  an  ivory  background  and  a  small  floral 
pattern  in  the  colors,  and  the  outer  with  the  green  background, 
the  design  being  principally  in  the  red  and  ivory.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  59 

DRAGON  SCROLL  AND  FLOWER  RUG 

Length,  12  feet;  width,  6  feet  4  inches 

Imperial  yellow  ground,  all-over  small  flower  forms  in  dark  blue, 
apricot  and  ivory,  and  in  the  center  a  most  interestingly  drawn 
medallion  with  dragon  head  scroll  placed  on  a  pale  gold  field, 
confined  with  a  mirror-back  outline  in  two  shades  of  apricot, 
guarding  a  pearl  in  the  center  in  two  shades  of  robin’s-egg  blue. 
At  either  end  a  similar  quadrant  forms  each  corner.  The  inner 
border  is  deep  apricot  supporting  a  floral  scroll  surrounded  by 
a  mandarin  orange  ground  carrying  a  dragon  head  scroll  guard¬ 
ing  the  pearl,  again  surrounded  by  a  dark  blue  field  with  a  very 
well  drawn  floral  pattern  thereon.  Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  60 

CHI  EX-LUNG  1WG 

Length,  12  feet  (1  inches;  width,  G  feet  G  inches 


This  temple  shaped  piece  lias  in  the  field  the  grain  of  rice  design 
in  shades  of  yellow  and  apricot.  Five  sharply  outlined  mirror- 
back  medallions  in  strong  apricot  are  placed  on  this  field,  with 
supplementary  colors  in  two  shades  of  blue  and  white.  Sur¬ 
rounding  it  is  a  dark  blue  running  swastika  fret  on  a  peachblow 
background  and  a  light  blue,  ivory  and  apricot  floral  scroll  on 
a  dark  blue  field  encloses  same.  Chien-lung. 

No.  61 


SALVE  liUG 

Id  - 

Length,  12  feet  8  inches;  width,  G  feet  8  inches 

l(L(e' 

The  warp,  weft,  and  pile  of  this  piece  are  all  composed  of  silk. 
The  ground  is  a  deep  ruby  shade,  the  principal  decoration  of 
which  is  the  leaf  form  symbolizing  the  Chinese  “Welcome”  laid 
in  in  green  and  dull  brown.  The  principal  border  has  an  im¬ 
perial  yellow  ground  mellowed  by  time  to  a  dull  orange  tint. 
Chien-lung. 


i 


No.  62 


BLUE  AND  WHITE  CARPET 

Length,  12  feet  9  inches;  width,  8  feet 


The  field  is  a  creamy  white  with  boldly  drawn  corner  pieces,  the 
basic  theme  being  the  dragon  head  scroll.  The  dragon  heads 
are  rather  unusually  handled  the  mouth  holding  floral  sprays. 
The  center  has  a  large  medallion  in  the  same  strong,  deep  shades 
of  blue  that  compose  the  corner  pieces,  and  the  field  between 
is  well  covered  with  vases  and  pots  of  flowers,  baskets  of  peaches, 
single  sprays  and  some  symbolic  emblems.  The  main  outer  border 
has  the  dark  blue  field  with  a  foliate  scroll  in  the  light  blue  and 
ivory;  the  complementary  border  is  a  dark  blue  swastika  fret 
on  an  ivory  ground,  enclosing  a  white  dotted  band  of  dark  blue. 
Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  63 

OLD  K'ANG-HSI  CARPET 

Length,  11  feet  4  inches;  width,  10  feet  10  inches 

The  field  of  this  rug  is  a  cool  yellow  and  in  the  center  a  large 
medallion  is  placed,  the  interior  of  which  is  composed  of  a  num¬ 
ber  of  lines  principally  in  dark  and  light  blue,  gold  and  brown 
enclosed  by  a  cloud  band  formation  in  similar  colorings  but 
brightened  by  considerable  peachblow.  The  field  outside  this  is 
well  covered  with  large  blossoms  with  attendant  sprays  in  peach- 
blow,  dark  and  light  blue  and  ivory  with  a  touch  of  brown  and 
gold.  The  main  border  is  a  peachblow  fret  on  a  sapphire  ground 
and  the  outer  border  a  well  drawn  scroll  and  flower  in  dark  and 
light  blue  on  a  warm  apricot  ground.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  64 

ANTIQUE  SAMARCAND  RUG 

Length,  13  feet  1  inch;  width,  6  feet  6  inches 

This  rug  was  woven  during  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century  and  has  an  all-over  fruit  and  flower  scroll  pattern  in 
dark  blue  and  soft  red  on  a  rich  gold  field.  The  colors  used  in 
the  border  are,  in  the  main,  medium  and  light  blue  and  the  de¬ 
sign  is  quite  typical  of  the  weaving.  Late  Chien-lung. 


No.  65 

SILK  PALACE  CARPET 

Length,  13  feet;  width,  7  feet 

A  warm  glowing  field  of  tawny  mauve  is  closely  packed  with  an 
interlacing  scroll  and  flower  all-over  pattern  in  shades  of  tur¬ 
quoise,  brown  and  clair-de-lune .  The  main  border  has  the  same 
field  as  the  center  decorated  in  a  more  conventionalized  handling 
of  the  same  pattern  and  in  similar  coloring.  The  ground  of  the 
two  bands  supporting  this  are  in  a  deep  shade  of  turquoise  over¬ 
laid  with  a  floral  pattern  in  the  colors  of  the  field.  The  lower 
part  of  the  border  is  missing,  but  considering  the  age  of  the 
rug,  the  pile  in  the  main  is  in  good  condition.  K’ang-hsi. 


First  Afternoon 


»**  No.  66 

ANTIQUE  SAM  ARC  AND  CARPET 

Length,  13  feet  5  inches;  width,  9  feet  8  inches 

The  field  is  in  a  soft  shade  of  red  quite  typical  of  the  old  Samar- 
eand  weavings  with  a  large  medallion,  the  keynote  of  color  of 
which  is  a  grayish  ivorv,  and  on  the  field  are  laid  a  few  large 
sprays.  The  border  is  formal  and  in  the  same  red  and  ivory  as 
are  used  in  the  center,  relieved  by  soft  shades  of  brown.  Chien- 
lung. 


No.  67 


LARGE  DARK  BLUE  CARPET 


Length,  12  feet  9  inches:  width,  11  feet  6  inches 


The  entire  field  is  of  a  dark  blue  shade  with  an  all-over  scroll 
in  soft  pink  carrying  circular  flowers  in  like  coloring.  The  ground 
of  the  border  is  of  the  same  soft  pink  with  a  large  swastika 
fret  in  dark  blue.  There  is  an  interesting  line  formation  between 
the  center  and  border  consisting  of  successive  lines  of  deep  blue, 
medium  blue,  pale  gray  blue,  and  bluish  ivory,  the  whole  sur¬ 
rounded  by  a  broad  outside  band  of  the  same  shade  as  the 
ground  color.  Chien-lung. 


No.  68 


PINKISH  COPPER  CARPET 

Length,  12  feet  5  inches:  width,  11  feet 


On  a  pale  ground  of  pinkish  copper  is  placed  an  all-over  scroll 
carrying  round  blossoms  in  dark  blue  relieved  with  light  blue  and 
ivory.  There  is  a  large  central  medallion  in  dark  and  light  hlue, 
geometric  in  form.  The  two  borders  are  simple,  the  larger  one 
being  a  dark  blue  swastika  fret  on  a  light  background  and  the 
other  a  repetitive  half-rosette  diaper  form  principally  in  light 
blue  and  ivory.  Ming. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  69 

OLD  MING  CARPET 

Length,  12  feet  4  inches;  width,  11  feet  2  inches 

On  a  warm  pinkish  brown  field  is  a  medallion  in  geometrical  de¬ 
tail  in  dark  and  light  blue.  The  balance  of  the  field  between 
the  medallion  and  the  corners  is  covered  with  an  all-over  dark 
blue  scroll  carrying  large  flowers  in  dark  and  light  blue.  The 
inner  border  is  a  diaper  repeat  in  the  light  shades,  outlined  with 
corrosive  brown,  and  surrounding  it  is  a  dark  blue  swastika  fret 
border  on  a  tawny  field.  Ming. 


No.  70 

LARGE  SALMON  PINK  CARPET 

,  ft Length ,  13  feet  6  inches;  width,  13  feet  6  inches 

(A. 

On  a  clear  salmon  pink  background  of  considerable  warmth  are 
spread  large  blossoms  with  attendant  foliage  in  dark  blue,  light 
blue  and  ivory,  which  complement  an  important  central  medal¬ 
lion  the  chief  motif  of  which  is  a  rockery  with  growing  plants 
in  similar  coloring,  with  a  touch  of  apricot  and  some  dark  blue, 
ivory  and  peach  color,  with  quite  a  broad  band  of  plain  blue 
around  the  outside.  Chien-lung. 


4-/6 


No.  71 


y/o ' 


TURKESTAN  SILK  CARPET 

Length ,  15  feet  4  inches;  width,  6  feet  10  inches 


This  silk  carpet  was  woven  in  Chinese  Turkestan,  and  is  very 
strongly  influenced  by  both  the  ornament  of  the  Chinese  and  the 
Persians.  The  ground  is  a  pomegranate  shade  and  the  floral 
decoration  is  in  green,  ivory,  blue  and  gold,  broken  by  five  archaic 
dragon  medallions.  The  borders — the  principal  color  scheme 
of  which  is  a  deep  gold — have  an  alternating  plant  form  rather 
conventionally  rendered.  Chien-lung. 


First  Afternoon 


No.  72 

* 

A  PAIR  OF  WESTERN  CHINESE  RUGS 


Each:  Length,  l(i  feet  1  inch;  width,  11  feet, 


On  a  pink-tinted  rose  ground  is  placed  a  floral  pattern  formally 
rendered  in  ivory,  brown  and  light  blue.  The  border  surrounding 
the  field  is  a  swastika  fret  in  gold,  ivory,  rose  and  robin’s-egg 
blue  and  seal  brown.  The  main  border  outside  this  is  a  con¬ 
ventionalized  pattern,  the  motif  of  which  is  derived  from  the 
wave  design,  and  there  is  an  additional  band  of  plain  brown,  like 
that  used  in  the  ornament,  about  nine  inches  wide.  These  rugs 
were  made  in  Chinese  Turkestan  and  quite  likely  close  to  the 
border  of  Samarcand.  Tao-kuang. 


SECOND  AND  LAST  AFTERNOON’S  SALE 


SATURDAY,  APRIL  29,  191(5 


AT  THE  AMERICAN  ART  GALLERIES 


BEGINNING  AT  3  O’CLOCK 


No.  73 


MOSLEM  BLUE  MAT 


\  !  !  Lenqth,  3  feet  8  inches;  width,  2  feet  9  inches 

i\U^/ 

While  the  quality  is  not  fine  as  far  as  stitch  is  concerned,  that 
of  the  wool  is  surpassingly  so,  giving  a  bloom  and  sheen  to  the 
surface  that  is  most  effective.  The  field  is  a  deep,  rich,  Moslem 
blue  inset  with  a  conventionalized  floral  medallion  and  corner 
pieces  in  robin’s  egg  and  silver.  A  butterfly  is  also  placed  at 
either  end  of  the  medallion.  The  formation  of  the  medallion  is 
unusual.  There  are  three  narrow  borders  in  the  same  colors, 
with  an  outside  plain  edge  of  the  same  rich  blue  that  is  used  in 
the  field.  Chien-lung. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  74 

TEMPLE  CHAIR  SEAT 

Length,  2  feet  4  inches:  width,  2  feet  6  inches 

The  background  of  the  entire  rug  is  a  soft  imperial  yellow  with 
a  single  peak  of  the  Sacred  Mountain  of  the  Pearly  Emperor 
with  waves  washing  its  base  at  the  bottom  of  the  rug,  in  sap¬ 
phire,  robin’s-egg  blue,  pale  apricot  and  ivory.  Floral  sprays 
are  used  as  the  border  principally  in  dark  and  light  blue  relieved 
with  ivory  and  apricot,  featuring  a  temple  gong  in  the  center, 
which  comprises  the  rest  of  the  ornament  in  this  beautiful  Iv’ang- 
hsi  example.  Iv’ang-hsi. 


No.  75 

AN  EMBOSSED  SQUARE 

Length,  2  feet  6  inches;  width,  2  feet  6  inches 

This  mat  was  used  as  a  chair-seat  cushion  and  had  a  pad  back, 
as  those  used  for  this  purpose  were  always  finished  with  the  edge 
brought  up  over  the  face,  and  when  it  is  removed  it  leaves  the 
original  color  which  is  so  much  stronger  than  that  of  the  part 
that  was  exposed  as  to  form  a  frame  around  the  entire  piece. 
The  field  has  mellowed  to  a  pale  shade  of  pinkish  tan,  on  which 
there  is  a  central  medallion  outlined  by  a  foliate  scroll  in  dark 
and  light  blue  relieved  with  ivory,  supporting  a  single  blossom 
of  ivory  and  pale  gold  in  the  center.  At  either  end  two  lotus 
blossoms  in  full  bloom  with  attendant  buds  are  placed,  the  sides 
having  two  distinctive  flower  sprays  to  balance  them,  the  pre¬ 
dominant  note  of  color  being  the  two  shades  of  blue.  The  cor¬ 
ners  are  in  a  shade  of  deep  gold,  pale  yellow  and  ivory,  and  serve 
as  a  support  merely  to  the  center  ornament  composed  of  the 
medallion  and  four  floral  sprays,  which  are  incised  and  bits  of 
the  ornament,  are  hatched  with  chinchilla.  Early  Chien-lung. 


Second  Afternoon 


J  >v"- 


No.  7(5 

EMPRESS  TABLE  MAT 


Length,  3  feet  4  inches;  width,  1  foot  10  inches 


Old  Chinese  rugs  but  rarely  occur  where  the  knots  are  tied  as 
closely  as  in  this  one.  The  field  of  sapphire  has  a  central  medal¬ 
lion  showing  the  Ky-lin  and  Fung-whang,  and  throughout  the 
field  butterflies  and  dainty  floral  sprays  in  dark  and  light  shades 
of  apricot,  imperial  yellow  and  robin’s-egg  blue  are  scattered. 
There  is  a  single  small  border  with  the  peony  scroll  very  delicately 
rendered  with  a  Sliou  mark  laid  on  it  at  intervals.  The  ground  is 
a  deep  apricot  shade  and  effectively  balances  the  center.  Iv’ang- 
hsi. 


No.  77 


DRAGON  MAT 


Length,  2  feet  10  inches;  width.  2  feet  !)  inches 


An  early  eighteenth  century  mat.  The  whole  has  a  lustrous  sheen 
and  the  design  is  a  copy  of  some  of  the  early  Ming  patterns,  being 
composed  of  a  central  medallion  and  a  corner  decoration  of 
dragon  head  scrolls,  geometrically  drawn  in  dark  and  light  blue 
and  placed  upon  a  putty-colored  ground.  Iv’ang-hsi. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  78 

THE  DIAMOND  MEDALLION  RUG 

Length,  4  feet  6  inches;  width,  2  feet  3  inches 


A  field  of  sapphire  is  broken  by  an  irregular  all-over  lattice  in 
light  blue,  ivory  and  pale  yellow,  and  in  the  reserves  are  placed 
four-petaled  simply  drawn  flat  flower-forms  principally  in  ivory 
and  apricot.  The  corners — which  are  quarters  of  the  central 
medallion— are  in  apricot  and  pale  gold  and  the  medallion  is 
in  the  same  colors  and  design  but  formed  rather  differently  from 
the  usual  medallion  being  almost  a  diamond  shape  with  serrated 
outline.  The  background  of  the  border  is  apricot  overlaid  with 
a  dark  and  light  blue  running  fret.  Chien-lung. 


No.  79 

LONGEVITY  RUG 

i  ^  ^Let^gth,  6  feet  4  inches;  -width,  3  feet  11  inches 

Upon  an  ecru  ground,  divisions  are  bounded  by  dark  blue  forms 
in  each  of  which  are  significant  objects  in  a  deep  shade  of  tan, 
twin  bats  in  one,  a  peach  on  a  twig  in  another.  This  rug  has 
two  small  borders,  one  a  running  swastika  fret  in  dark  blue  on 
a  pale  apricot  field  and  the  other  a  dark  and  light  blue  and  tan 
half-rosette  formation.  Ming. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  79. 


LONGEVITY  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  80 


HAPPY  AUGURY  MAT 


m  Length.  4  feet 


3 


inches;  width,  2  feet  3  inches 


The  field  is  an  exquisite  shade  of  apricot  heavy  with  yellow;  the 
corners  have  gracefully  drawn  peony  blossoms  in  pale  gold  and 
ivory  supported  by  sprays  of  dark  blue,  light  blue  and  ivory. 
The  central  medallion  is  in  the  pale  shades  except  for  four  small 
leaves  in  dark  and  light  blue,  and  lies  so  lightly  on  the  field  in 
color  as  to  be  hardly  appreciable  as  a  central  ornament.  The 
balance  of  the  space  has  very  carefully  chiseled  flowers  in  the 
light  tones  but  beautifully  modeled.  The  border,  while  a  single 
one,  is  rendered  in  the  same  beautiful  fashion  as  the  flowers  on 
the  field,  while  at  intervals  are  placed  Signs  of  Shou  with  an 
attendant  bat  in  each  instance.  The  placement  of  the  design 
and  its  detail,  together  with  the  care  with  which  it  has  been 
assembled,  is  significant  of  an  expectation  which  will  bring  much 
pleasure.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  81 

SIXTEENTH  CENTURY  SAM  ARC  AND 

Length,  5  feet;  width,  2  feet  6  inches 

This  small  example  of  the  textile  art  was  either  executed  by  the 
weavers  of  eastern  Samarcand  bordering  upon  Chinese  Turke¬ 
stan,  or  in  western  Chinese  Turkestan  proper,  although  certain 
characteristics  savoring  of  Persia  incline  to  throw  it  into  the 
former  class.  It  has  a  double  warp  and  pile  which  is  put  in 
similar  to  the  method  used  in  the  fifteenth  century  Ispahans,  and 
the  ornamentation  in  the  field  favors  the  detail  and  drawing  of 
these  finer  old  Persian  products.  The  design  is  a  small  repetitive 
rosette  placed  on  a  foliate  scroll  conventionally  executed  in  apri¬ 
cot  and  soft  green.  The  border  is  a  repeating  single  swastika 
in  blue  set  on  an  alternating  background  of  the  same  apricot 
and  green  as  are  used  in  the  center.  Ming. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  82 

EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY  MAT 


Mu 


Lev 


\ th ,  5  feet  6  inches;  width,  2  feet  4  inches 


On  a  field  of  royal  blue,  a  simple  outlined  lattice  is  drawn,  within 
the  reserves  of  which  are  placed  flat  flower-forins  in  shades  of 
ivory,  apricot  and  cerulean.  The  borders  are  geometrical  frets 
in  complementary  colors.  C’hien-lung. 


No.  8.‘3 

LONG  NARROW  BUTTERFLY  RUG 

Length,  5  feet  8  inches;  width,  2  feet  7  inches 

The  ground  is  putty-colored,  with  a  floral  central  medallion  in 
dark  and  light  blue,  which  is  not  decorated  on  either  side,  but 
at  each  end  between  the  medallion  and  the  border  twelve  butter¬ 
flies  and  peony  sprays  are  alternately  spaced  in  similar  colors. 
The  single  border  has  the  same  field  as  the  center,  with  peony 
sprays  in  the  colors  used  in  the  other  decoration ;  this  is  the  only 
border  except  for  a  few  lines  in  dark  and  light  blue.  It  is  prob¬ 
ably  an  example,  woven  during  the  reign  of  K’ang-hsi,  of  the 
first  use  of  these  three  colors.  K’ang-hsi. 


Second  Afternoon 


"7  No.  84 

3U  ' 

SAPPHIRE  RUG 

Leiif/lh,  (i  feet  3  inches;  width,  4  feet  3  inches 

)\^ 

The  ground  of  the  center  is  a  deep  tone  of  the  Chinese  dark 
blu  e — or,  more  correctly,  a  dark  sapphire.  Placed  upon  it  is  a 
central  medallion  in  apricot,  ivory  and  light  blue,  while  the  cor¬ 
ners  and  the  balance  of  the  ornament  which  support  the  medal¬ 
lion  are  principally  in  apricot,  imperial  yellow  and  ivory  with  a 
touch  here  and  there  of  turquoise.  The  border  has  the  flowing 
peony  scroll  with  the  peonies  in  ivory  and  pale  apricot  and  the 
leaf  forms  in  dark  and  light  blue,  the  whole  surrounded  by  an 
outer  plain  band  of  blue  the  same  shade  as  the  ground  of  the 
center.  This  is  an  old  rug  of  the  late  seventeenth  century,  and 
while  the  designing  is  not  elaborately  executed,  but  is  rather 
simple  in  form,  the  charm  of  the  contrasts  in  the  color  is  effective 
and  pleasing.  K’ang-hsi. 

( Illustrated  in  Color — see  Frontispiece ) 


No.  85 

/  l/-b  ^ 

FIVE-MEDALLION  FUG 


,  ,  jy  Length,  6  feet  8  inches;  width,  4  feet 


6  inches 


This  is  a  five-medallion  rug  with  tan  ground  in  both  field  and 
border.  Upon  this  soft  background  floral  discs  are  laid  and 
sprays  of  fruit  blossoms  with  butterflies  are  scattered  over  the 
intervening  space.  Chien-lung. 


Second  Afternoon 


/oo  - 


No.  86 

IMPERIAL  YELLOW  RUG 


Length,  C  feet  9  inches;  width,  4  feet  8  inches 

fA  \xj^ 

On  a  solid  ground  of  imperial  yellow  with  a  rich  lustrous  sheen 
is  a  central  medallion  the  inner  reserve  of  which  features  the 
Sacred  Deer  in  dark  blue  and  the  Fung-whang  in  apricot.  The 
floral  band  enclosing  same  is  in  dark  and  light  blue,  apricot  and 
ivory.  Floral  sprays  are  balanced  in  like  coloring  between  the 
medallion  and  the  corners,  which  are  geometrical,  the  predominant 
color  note  being  apricot.  A  band  of  deep  sapphire  encloses  the 
field,  on  which  are  laid  in  the  complementary  colors  small  star¬ 
shaped  forms  conventionally  arranged.  The  main  border  has  a 
background  of  apricot  and  a  floral  scroll  with  the  two  blues — 
the  predominant  note  of  color.  The  absence  of  a  quantity  of 
deep  color  in  the  field  and  the  massing  of  the  dark  blue  in  the 
border  gives  a  rather  virile  note  to  this  piece.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  87 

DOG  FOO  RUG 

Length,  0  feet  9  inches;  width,  4  feet  7  inches 

On  a  very  deep  ground  of  ivory  there  is  a  central  medallion  in 
dark  blue  and  robin’s-egg  blue  showing  five  Foo  Dogs;  at  the 
base  of  the  medallion  there  is  just  a  touch  of  coral.  The  Dogs 
appear  in  each  corner  surrounded  by  foliate  decorations,  also 
in  the  same  shades  of  blue.  The  border  is  both  geometrical  and 
floral  in  the  lighter  shades.  Chien-lung. 


Second  Afternoon 


>vo 


No.  88 


CHIEN-LUNG  HUG 


ii  \ka-/ 


Length,  6  feet  6  inches;  width,  4  feet  6  inches 


A  yellow  ivory  ground  with  a  large  central  and  four  small  me¬ 
dallions  in  dark  and  light  blue  and  apricot  ;  corners  in  apricot 
and  soft  yellow ;  border  principally  in  peach,  deep  apricot,  dark 
and  light  blue,  with  signs  of  Shou  and  Twin  Bats  alternating 
with  the  peony  scroll.  Chien-lung. 


( Illustrated  in  Color ) 


No.  89 


CHIEN-LUNG  RUG 


Length,  6  feet  2  inches;  width,  4  feet 


All-over  rice  design  in  apricot  and  dark  brown  on  imperial  yel¬ 
low  field;  five  equidistant  medallions  in  dark  blue  and  ivory  are 
laid  on  the  center,  and  the  border  has  a  dark  and  light  blue  key 


pattern  on  a  deep  apricot  ground,  broken  with  single  peaches  and 
bats  in  apricot  and  ivory.  Chien-lung. 


No.  88.  YELLOW  IVORY  CH’IEN-LUNG  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


y  /o  - 


No.  90 

EARLY  MING  RUG 


Length,  7  feet  4  inches;  width,  5  feet  7  inches 

\ALy 

On  a  light  tawny  brown  background  is  placed  a  lattice  in  dark 
blue  with  ornamentation  in  pale  apricot  within  the  enclosure. 
The  border  is  geometrical  and  has  the  same  color  scheme  as 
the  center.  Ming. 


No.  91 


THE  SHADOW  RUG 


Length,  7  feet  4  inches;  width,  5  feet  9  inches 


Woven  during  the  latter  part  of  the  Ming  dynasty  and  sim¬ 
plicity  itself  both  in  color  and  design,  yet,  because  of  the  illusive 
charm  of  the  subdued  ornamentation  in  the  center,  this  old 
textile  takes  its  place  as  a  most  dignified  example  of  this  period. 
The  field  is  a  pale  but  warm  shade  of  amber  and  on  it  are  laid 
flower  sprays  and  a  medallion  in  slightly  deeper  tones  of  the 
same  color,  giving  a  shadow  effect  brightened  with  a  touch  of 
dark  and  light  blue.  The  border  is  a  deeper  tone  of  amber  with 
a  foliate  scroll  in  dark  and  light  blue  and  ivory,  not  at  all 
elaborate.  The  addition  of  a  few  lines  and  an  outside  band 
of  plain  brown  complete  the  border  decoration.  Ming. 


Second  Afternoon 


yo  6 ' 


No.  92 

SMALL  LOTUS  RUG 


Length,  6  feet  10  inches;  width,  4  feet 


This  is  an  example  of  Chinese  weaving,  made  in  the  first  quarter 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  It  shows  a  simplified  interpretation 
of  the  Lotus  in  dark  blue  placed  on  a  soft  pink-brown  field,  and 
surrounded  by  one  geometrical  border.  This  is  another  specimen 
illustrating  the  use  of  a  single  color  in  making  floral  design,  which 
is  a  feature  of  the  older  rugs.  Iv’ang-hsi. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  93 

ANTIQUE  PAINTING  ON  MULESKIN 

Length,  5  feet  4  inches;  width,  7  feet  4  inches 

This  is  a  broad  shape,  being  wider  than  it  is  long.  The  center 
panel  depicts  a  hunting  scene  with  human  figui’es  both  afoot  and 
on  horseback  in  the  foreground  in  full  cry  after  deer  and  a  wild 
boar,  with  mountains  and  foliage  in  the  background.  Outside  this 
central  reserve,  and  forming  corners  to  support  the  center,  are 
the  empress’s  bird  flying  through  the  heavens  showing  the  moon 
and  cloud  bands,  and  where  necessary  to  fill  in  the  open  spaces 
a  foliate  formation  is  employed.  The  borders  alternate  with  a 
woodland  scene  with  animals  as  the  prominent  note  of  ornament, 
and  a  highly  decorative  cloud-band  scheme  supported  on  either 
side  by  narrow  frets.  Green  and  vermilion,  softened  by  time, 
play  a  prominent  part  in  the  color  scheme,  although  many  other 
complementary  shades  in  imperial  yellow,  brown,  mauve  and  blue 
are  used.  It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  was  executed  in 
commemoration  of  the  entertainment  of  important  European 
merchants  on  a  visit  to  some  Chinaman  of  financial  importance. 
Late  Chien-lung. 


No.  92.  SMALL  LOTUS  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  94« 


TRANSITION  RUG 

Length,  7  feet  10  inches;  width,  5  feet  7  inches 


This  rug  represents  the  transition  period  between  the  use  of  the 
warmer  colors  which  prevailed  during  K’ang-hsi’s  patronage  of 
the  arts  and  the  first  expression  of  the  so-called  blue  and  white 
type.  The  field  is  ivory  white  and  in  the  medallion  and  vases  of 
flowers  and  floral  sprays,  with  which  it  is  ornamented,  the  two 
shades  of  blue  are  used  in  strong  contradistinction  with  the  apri¬ 
cots,  yellows  and  browns  used  in  conjunction  with  them.  The 
large  floral  border  also  quite  strongly  emphasizes  this  same 
point,  while  the  narrower  border  is  kept  rather  to  the  paler 
shades  and  gives  the  effect  of  a  bit  of  embossed  embroidery.  Chien- 
lung. 

(Illustrated) 


No.  95 


BLEEDING  POMEGRANATE  SAMARCAND 


Length,  7  feet;  •width,  4  feet  2  inches 


The  field  is  a  shade  of  rare  pomegranate  overlaid  with  an  all- 
over  floral  design  in  jade  and  complemented  by  a  soft  gray 
and  sapphire.  The  ground  of  the  border  next  the  field  is  also 
of  jade,  with  a  small  foliate  scroll  in  the  color  of  the  ground 
of  the  center  and  gold  and  ecru.  The  main  border  has  a  sap¬ 
phire  ground  overlaid  with  a  jade  lattice,  the  center  of  each 
diamond  being  a  blossom  principally  in  the  pomegranate  tone. 
The  supplementary  border  is  a  simple  foliated  scroll  with  the 
same  pattern  as  that  used  in  the  inner  one,  only  in  the  comple¬ 
mentary  colors  entirely.  This  rug  was  woven  in  the  sixteenth 
century  and  is  a  rare  example  of  the  old  Samarcand  weaving. 


Xo.  94.  TRANSITION  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


! 


No.  96 

DRAGON  FRET  RUG 


Lenqth,  7  feet  10  inches;  width,  5  feet  5  inches 

VA 

On  a  golden  brown  field  is  placed  a  center  ornament  of  a  geo¬ 
metrical  fret  and  the  corners  are  drawn  in  a  similar  fashion, 
and  spaced  in  the  field  between  the  center  and  border  are  dragon¬ 
head  scrolls.  The  border  is  geometrical  and  of  a  dark  blue.  An 
outside  plain  band  of  seal  brown  surrounds  the  rug.  Ming. 


( Illustrated ) 


3-7V 


A  splendid  type  of  the  blue  and  white  variety.  The  field  is  putty 
color  strewn  with  flowers  in  sapphire  and  robin’s-egg  blue,  with 
nine  animal  forms  well  balanced  in  relation  to  the  other  orna¬ 
ment.  There  is  an  added  note  to  the  color  formation  of  these 
lions  by  the  use  of  a  touch  of  chinchilla.  The  border  is  a  simple 
floral  one  in  the  two  blues  on  the  same  putty  color  background, 
with  a  light  dotted  band  of  the  dark  blue  dividing  it  from  the 
field.  While  the  design  is  not  elaborate,  it  is  more  graceful  and 
refined  in  detail  than  in  the  majority  of  this  type.  Chien-lung. 


V 


No.  96.  DRAGON  FRET  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  98 


TEMPLE  GONG  RUG 


Length,  8  feet  5  inches:  width,  4  feet  5  inches 

rA  (ry 

On  an  all-over  diamond  lattice  in  pale  shades  of  gold  and  apricot 
are  placed  medallions  in  a  soft  light  shade  of  robin’s-egg  blue,  the 
center  of  each  having  a  filleted  temple  gong  in  ivorv,  apricot 
and  dark  blue.  The  borders  are  not  elaborate  in  design  and  have 
the  same  soft  yellow  gold  and  the  shades  of  blue  that  occur  in  the 
field.  Chien-lung. 

( Illustrated  in  Color) 


No.  99 

THIR  TEEN -MED  A  LLION  R  UG 

Length,  8  feet  5  inches:  width,  5  feet  2  inches 

On  an  apricot  field  of  soft  shading,  thirteen  floral  medallions  in 
dark  and  light  blue  and  ivory  are  spaced  in  alternating  rows  of 
three  and  two;  the  balance  of  the  field  is  profusely  strewn  with 
butterflies  and  many  interesting  and  attractive  flower  forms  indig¬ 
enous  to  China.  The  border  has  a  soft  yellow  ground  on  which 
the  peony  flower  scroll  in  apricot,  dark  blue  and  ivory  is  placed. 
Cbien-lung. 


n l,,TirTTT 


No.  98. 


CHINESE  TEMPLE  GONG  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  100 

EARLY  K’ANG-HSI  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  2  inches:  width,  5  feet  .  /  i 

Aias.  OmJ 

An  early  example  illustrating  the  use  of  the  pattern  typified  as 
the  Grain  of  Rice,  which  is  inlaid  in  apricot  and  seal  brown  on  a 
pale  gold  field.  The  corners  are  in  a  pale,  cloudy  amber  with  a 
delicate  tracery  in  apricot  and  dark  blue,  with  a  small  mirror- 
back  medallion  featuring  lions  in  dark  blue  and  apricot  with 
touches  of  the  light  gold  on  the  same  colored  field  as  the  cor¬ 
ners.  The  border  is  simple  in  detail,  being  a  shaded  fret  of  dark 
and  light  blue  on  a  brownish  amber  enclosing  a  light  dotted  sap¬ 
phire  band.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  101 


MING  FRET  RUG 


Length,  9  feet :  width,  5  feet  4  inches 


The  field  is  putty  color;  the  corners,  a  central  medallion  placed 
within  four  separate  individual  corner  pieces  with  field  between, 
and  the  design  of  the  outside  border,  are  all  in  rich,  deep  blue 
in  conventionalized  fret  pattern.  The  only  other  ornament  is 
a  narrow,  formal  scroll  border  in  topaz  on  a  field  of  the  same 
deep  blue,  and  three  crudely  designed  dragon  head  scroll  forma¬ 
tions  spaced  gracefully  between  the  medallion  and  corners,  in  the 
dark  blue.  This  leaves  a  larger  amount  than  usual  of  plain  field, 
hut  the  colors,  though  strong,  have  so  mellowed  with  age  and  use 
that  the  ensemble  is  charming.  There  is  one  narrow  line  of  pale 
turquoise  around  the  field  which  adds  much  to  the  effect.  Ming. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  102 

)  / 

OLD  GOLD  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  8  inches;  width,  6  feet  7  inches 

The  field  is  a  dull  shade  of  old  gold,  deep  in  tone  yet  lustrous, 
and  on  this  is  placed  foliate  ornament  in  quiet  shades  of  blue 
and  apricot.  The  border  supplements  the  center  both  in  color 
and  design,  and  a  very  even  balance  is  preserved  throughout. 
While  the  colors  are  distinctive,  there  is  a  repose  to  their  com¬ 
position  not  often  found.  Chien-lung. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  103 


3o  o 


LITERATI  RUG 

Length,  9  feet  1  inch;  width,  5  feet  9  inches 


Blue  and  white  with  ivory  ground;  floral  medallion  in  corners  and 
design  of  the  Literati  mingled  with  flower  sprays  and  jardinieres 
holding  plants  and  fruit  in  dark  and  light  blue.  Borders  floral 
and  geometrical  in  dark  blue  on  same  light  ground.  Chien-lung. 


No.  102.  OLD  GOLD  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  104 

ANTIQUE  CHINESE  CARPET 


ii  $ 


Length,  8  feet  1  inch;  width,  5  feet  5  inches 


On  a  brilliant  shade  of  light  copper,  floral  medallions  are  placed 
partly  in  dark  and  light  blue  and  ivory  and  others  in  shades  of 
gold  and  ivory.  The  spaces  between  are  filled  with  chrysanthe¬ 
mums  and  other  flower  sprays  in  like  colorings.  The  border  has 
an  apricot  ground  with  foliate  ornamentation  in  the  comple¬ 
mentary  colors  of  the  center,  and  Shou  marks  and  small  dragon¬ 
head  scroll  circles  overlaid  at  intervals.  Chien-lung. 


( Illustrated  in 


Color) 


No.  105 

CUR  YSA  NT  HEM  UM  RUG 

Length,  9  feet  2  inches;  width,  5  feet  4  inches 

H  (k/ 

On  a  tawny  field  of  apricot  a  very  beautiful  chrysanthemum  floral 
spray,  broken  with  butterflies  in  flight  most  delicately  drawn,  is 
attractively  spaced.  The  principal  colors  are  dark  blue,  a  very 
dull  light  blue  and  ivory  shades.  The  border  is  executed  in  the 
same  spirit  as  the  center  design.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  104.  ANTIQUE  CHINESE  MEDALLION  CARPET 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  106 


?30 


“ SACRED  DEER ”  7?£7G 


II 


Length,  9  feet  5  inches;  width,  5  feet  9  inches 


A  wall  panel  made  during  the  Ming  period  to  symbolize  some 
event  of  signal  importance  and  in  which  the  element  of  happiness 
was  the  supreme  factor.  The  illustration  is  that  of  Paradise, 
showing  a  rockery  from  which  is  growing  a  marvelous  blossomed 
tree  upon  which  are  feeding  butterflies,  while  at  the  base  Sacred 
Spotted  Deer  are  browsing.  The  central  part  of  the  panel  is 
a  grayish  amber  and  the  ornamentation  is  in  liquid  shades  of  dark 
blue,  old  Gobelin  light  blue  and  a  milky  brown.  The  borders 
merely  enframe  the  center  and  are  not  important  either  in  design 
or  detail,  but  by  their  very  simplicity  they  enhance  the  charm  of 
the  center.  Ming. 


No.  107 

GOLD  AND  PEACH  BLOW  RUG 

Length,  9  feet  10  inches;  width,  (i  feet 

This  is  another  example  of  early  seventeenth  century  weaving, 
and  is  particularly  interesting  because  of  its  sheen  and  two  tones 
of  imperial  yellow  forming  the  field.  The  central  reserve,  and  the 
four  corners  which  are  sharply  outlined  against  it,  have  a  back¬ 
ground  of  delicate  peachblow,  carrying  dragon-head  scroll  medal¬ 
lions.  The  two  supporting  borders  show,  in  the  inner  a  slight  at¬ 
tempt  at  decoration,  and  in  the  outer  the  swastika  fret  very 
simply  drawn.  The  ornament  is  secondary  throughout,  color  be¬ 
ing  the  primary  objective  of  the  weaver,  and  the  result  and  effect 
of  this  massing  of  color  is  most  successful.  K’ang-hsi. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  108 

‘ HOUSEHOLD ”  RUG 


Length,  9  feet  3  inches;  •width,  5  feet  3  inches 


KlW 


On  a  fawn  ground  various  articles  of  household  adornment  and 
utility  are  placed  in  shades  of  blue  and  brown.  The  borders  are 
geometrical  and  very  simply  drawn  and  the  handling  throughout 
attests  to  its  age.  Ming. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  109 


TURQUOISE-BLUE  EIGHT-MEDALLION  RUG 

Length,  10  feet  7  inches ;  width,  5  feet  10  inches 

A  conventionalized  rendition  of  the  rice  pattern  in  dull  turquoise 
blue  and  apricot  forms  an  all-over  diaper  effect  relieved  with 
a  pale  yellow  dotted  lattice.  This  field  is  overlaid  with  eight 
nearly  circular  medallions,  the  background  in  the  same  rich  tur¬ 
quoise  used  in  the  smaller  design,  outlined  with  ivory  and  orna¬ 
mented  with  dark  blue  and  ivory.  There  is  a  small  white  dotted 
border  on  a  deep  sapphire  background  surrounded  by  a  large 
border  of  soft  imperial  yellow  embellished  with  a  foliate  spray 
alternating  with  a  scroll  pattern  in  dark  and  light  blue,  ivory 
and  a  touch  of  apricot.  A  deep  band  of  sapphire  encloses  the 
whole.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  108.  "HOUSKIIOI.D"  11UU 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  110 

BROWN  AND  BLUE  MING  RUG 

Length,  9  feet  8  inches;  •width,  7  feet 

This  piece  has  a  quiet  dignity  due  to  the  restraint  displayed 
in  the  ornament.  The  center  has  a  self-toned  tawny  brown 
pattern  with  floral  motif,  with  medallion  and  corners  in  shades  of 
blue  and  fawn  color,  very  conventionally  drawn.  A  swastika  fret 
in  the  deep  blue  on  a  background  of  the  same  shade  as  the  field, 
is  lined  off  from  a  very  simple  rendition  of  triangles,  decorated 
with  a  half  rosette;  the  separation  is  a  line  of  gray  blue  outlin¬ 
ing  in  dark  blue  the  triangles  in  the  soft  browns.  There  is  a  band 
of  dark  blue  around  the  outside.  Ming. 


No.  Ill 

3  Yd  '  TILE  RUG 

~  ,  Length,  10  feet;  width,  6  feet  4  inches 

H  UN 

An  exquisite  ground  in  warm  shades  of  apricot  and  yellows  and 
dark  blue  laid  in  in  tile  effect.  The  border  is  a  blue  swastika 
fret  on  peach-colored  ground,  the  whole  surrounded  by  a  broad 
band  of  seal  brown.  K’ang-hsi. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  112 

K’ANG-HSI  RUG 

Length,  8  feet  6  inches;  width,  6  feet  3  inches 

An  apricot  and  imperial  yellow  ground  on  which  are  placed 
dragon-head  frets  in  dark  and  light  blue.  The  principal  colors 
in  the  border  are  dark  blue,  a  little  apricot  and  light  blue.  An 
outside  band  of  seal  brown  surrounds  the  entire  rug.  K’ang-hsi. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  113 

“ GRAINS  OF  RICE ”  RUG 

s' 

Length,  9  feet  11  inches;  width,  6  feet  1  inch 

This  is  known  as  the  Grains  of  Rice  pattern  and  was  woven  during 
the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of  K’ang-hsi.  The  background  of  the 
field  is  composed  of  a  brilliant  shade  of  imperial  yellow  closely 
covered  with  small  brown  and  apricot  diamond-shaped  designs 
forming  the  pattern.  The  field  is  overlaid  with  small  medallions 
on  an  apricot  background,  the  detail  composed  of  peony  blos¬ 
soms  in  dark  blue,  light  blue  and  ivory.  The  main  border  has  a 
deep  apricot  ground  with  flowing  floral  ornament  in  the  dark  and 
light  blues,  ivory  and  imperial  yellow.  An  inner  border  has  a 
warm  brownish  apricot  ground  with  a  swastika  fret  in  rare 
robin’s-egg  blue.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  112.  K’ANG-HSI  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  114 


THE  APRICOT  RUG 


Length,  9  feet;  width,  C  feet  4  inches 


This  rug  is  a  representative  piece  of  the  apricot  coloring  in  its 
most  charming  shade.  On  the  ground  of  warm  pinkish  apricot 
are  placed  a  decorative  medallion  with  corners  and  numberless 
depictions  of  flowers  and  butterflies  in  light  blue,  soft  brown, 
tawny  yellow  and  ivory.  Tbe  border  is  a  well-rendered  floral 
pattern  in  similar  colorings  to  those  employed  in  the  central 
ornament,  placed  on  a  sapphire  field.  Chien-lung. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  115 


THE  GOLD  K’ANG-HSI  RUG 


Length,  11  feet;  width,  5  feet  8  inches 


H|  $(L 


The  field  is  a  brilliant  shade  of  rich  deep  gold  with  five  floral 
medallions  in  dark  and  light  blue,  apricot  and  ivory.  The  field 
is  embellished  with  attractively  drawn  floral  sprays  of  con¬ 
siderable  variety  and  vases  used  in  household  decoration,  all  in¬ 
teresting  in  design  and  very  fine  in  detail.  The  predominant 
complementary  colors  are  ivory,  dark  blue,  pale  yellow  and  dull 
pink.  There  is  a  white  dotted  border  on  a  blue  band  surrounded 
by  an  outlined  fret  of  gold,  apricot  and  ivory  on  a  deep  blue 
background,  while  the  more  important  border  lias  a  reddish 
apricot  field  with  a  foliate  scroll  laid  in  individually  and  sepa¬ 
rated  by  signs  of  Shou,  small  floral  disks  and  bats  in  light  blue, 
imperial  yellow,  ivory  and  the  sapphire.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  114.  THE  APRICOT  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


/ 


No.  116 

OLD  BLUE  AND  WHITE  RUG 


Length,  10  feet  1  inch;  width,  5  feet  8  inches 

This  rug  belongs  to  the  blue  and  white  school,  but  by  age  the 
light  shade  has  become  a  warm  tan.  The  center  has  a  medal¬ 
lion  with  lions  as  the  principal  adornment,  and  at  either  end 
of  the  field  a  pair  of  these  lions  face  each  other,  while  the  spaces 
between  are  filled  with  floral  sprays.  The  border  is  a  running 
floral  pattern  and  all  of  the  ornament  throughout  is  in  shades  of 
dark  and  light  blue.  Chien-lung. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  117 


AN  ARTIST'S  MASTERPIECE 

Length,  10  feet  4  inches;  width,  5  feet  6  inches 


The  design  and  its  form  of  rendition  differ  from  any  other 
Chinese  rug  that  has  been  shown  in  public  so  far  in  this  country. 
When  a  rug  is  brought  to  light  wherein  individuality  is  so 
definitely  expressed  as  the  handling  of  the  ornament  in  this  piece 
illustrates,  one  can  but  believe  that  it  was  made  for  a  distinct 
use  or  woven  under  the  direction  of  an  artist  of  great  note. 
Around  the  outside  is  a  band  of  sapphire  and  between  it  and  the 
field  is  but  a  single  border,  this  in  itself  occurring  but  rarely,  the 
field  of  which  is  a  delicate  imperial  yellow  in  which  is  woven  an 
individual  expression  of  the  matured  blossom  and  its  attendant 
scroll,  shaded  from  sapphire  to  ivory,  which  is  conventional  and 
at  the  same  time  unique.  Especially  interesting  is  the  small  form 
used  in  the  corners  and  in  the  center  of  either  side  as  a  division. 
The  center  is  a  warm  tawny  brown.  The  remarkable  balance 
observed  in  designing  the  ornament  that  was  so  closely  adhered 
to  in  old  Ispahans,  together  with  the  compactness  of  the  design 
and  the  small  amount  of  field  that  is  left  between,  also  suggestive 
of  Persian  influence,  would  lead  to  a  conclusion  that  the  artist 
took  his  inspiration  from  such  a  source.  Third  quarter  of 
seventeenth  century. 


No.  116.  OI.D  BLUE  AND  WHITE  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


l 

/ 

& 


No.  118 

THE  “ ZODIAC ”  RUG 


Length,  10  feet  8  inches;  width,  6  feet  5  inches 

A  feature  of  great  interest  in  this  K’ang-hsi  rug  is  the  zodiacal 
border  on  a  blue  and  imperial  yellow  background.  The  animals 
of  the  zodiac,  alternating  with  peony  scrolls,  are  clearly  out¬ 
lined  in  distinctive  color  tones  around  the  entire  rug.  The  figures 
represent  the  Chinese  division  of  the  hours  of  the  day  and  night. 
This  border  encloses  a  blue  swastika  fret  laid  on  a  rose  ground, 
while  the  field  within  is  composed  of  a  dark  blue  lattice  outlining 
reserves  in  which  are  placed  the  r;ce  pattern  in  dark  blue  and 
soft  yellow  on  a  warm  apricot  ground.  The  central  medallion  and 
the  corners  are  elaborately  outlined  mirror-backs  with  an  im¬ 
perial  yellow  ground  supporting  floral  ornament  in  dark  and 
light  blue  and  a  warm  apricot.  K’ang-hsi. 


( Illustrated  in  Color ) 


No.  119 

PEONY  SCROLL  RUG 

Length,  10  feet  0  inches;  width,  8  feet 

7\  X  ^ 

This  is  a  splendid  example  of  the  blue  and  white.  The  field  is 
of  a  blanc-de-Chine  having  an  all-over  scroll  of  the  peony  form 
with  the  flower  and  leaf  ornamentation  surrounding  a  center 
medallion  about  two  feet  in  diameter,  the  outside  band  being 
a  delicate  handling  of  the  peony  scroll  and  flower  form  about 
five  inches  in  diameter  which  encloses  one  large  and  several  small 
Dogs  Foo  at  play.  The  two  borders  are  the  Wall  of  Troy  and 
the  design  on  the  main  field  in  a  reduced  scale,  with  an  outside 
edge  of  about  three  inches.  A  distinctive  difference  is  noted  in 
this  rug  in  that  the  center  design  runs  to  the  border  through¬ 
out  the  field  and  there  are  no  corner  pieces.  Chien-lung. 


No.  118.  CHINESE  “ZODIAC”  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


0  "  No.  120 

IMPERIAL  YELLOW  AND  APRICOT  RUG 

Length,  11  feet;  width,  5  feet  9  inches 

A  very  beautiful  imperial  yellow  and  apricot  scroll  pattern  makes 
the  field,  on  which  are  placed  lotus  blossoms  and  medallions  in 
dark  and  light  blue  with  touches  of  ivory  and  gold.  The  border 
has  a  dragon-head  scroll  pattern  on  an  imperial  yellow  ground. 
K’ang-hsi. 


No.  121 


/  30 


LONG  NARROW  STRIP 

Length,  14  feet  10  inches;  width,  2  feet  5  inches 


MC 


The  field  is  a  warm  tawny  shade  overlaid  with  a  corrosive  brown 
lattice  connecting  small  squares  of  the  same  brown  field  carrying 
a  swastika  in  apricot.  The  center  of  the  reserve  has  a  small 
white  dot  and  apricot  flowers,  very  simply  drawn.  The  border 
has  a  pale  pink  field  with  a  swastika  fret  in  light  cerulean,  out¬ 
lined  with  an  ivory  and  yellow  line ;  around  the  entire  outside 
of  the  rug  is  a  narrow  band  of  the  corrosive  brown.  Late  Ming. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  122 

INTERLACING  MEDALLION  BORDER  RUG 


Length,  11  feet  5  inches ;  width,  5  feet  9  inches 

yiO-' 

Chinese  raw  silk ;  tawny  ground,  all-over  lattice  in  soft  blue  with 
touches  of  apricot  in  center.  An  interesting  Western  China  in¬ 
terlacing  medallion  repeat  in  dark  blue  and  dull  red  forms  the 
border  in  deep  apricot  on  lighter  apricot.  Chien-lung. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  123 


HEARTH  RUG 

Length,  12  feet  8  inches;  width,  5  feet  5  inches 


This  fabric  was  woven  in  the  cold  country  in  the  last  quarter  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  The  design  is  unusual,  as  is  also  the 
shape  of  the  rug.  The  field  is  composed  of  three  distinct  square 
panels  surrounded  by  a  plain  band  of  a  golden-brown  creating 
the  divisions.  The  ground  of  the  central  panel  is  a  tawny  apricot 
and  of  the  two  end  panels  a  soft  putty  color.  In  the  center  of 
the  two  end  panels  is  a  small  medallion,  the  motif  in  one  being 
the  Ky-lin  and  in  the  other  the  Phoenix ;  the  remainder  of  the 
decoration  throughout  the  three  squares  is  floral,  the  predominat¬ 
ing  tones  being  light  blue  with  some  ivory,  dark  blue  and  apricot. 
The  border  is  simple — a  small  diaper  pattern  of  ashen  white  dots 
latticed  on  a  blue  ground  by  a  brown  outline.  K’ang-hsi. 


wmm 

§f$j4l 

iitfii 


WwS*#! 

r^MJb^pU) 

mmsM 


mmm 

IfiiSlI 


No.  122.  INTERLACING  MEDALLION  BORDER  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  124 

SE  VENTEEN-MEDA  LLION  R  UG 

Length,  10  feet  2  inches;  width,  8  feet  2  inches 

The  field  of  this  piece  is  a  pinkish  shade  of  ivory  on  which  are 
placed  seventeen  medallions  of  floral  ornamentation  in  dark  and 
light  blue;  in  the  spaces  between  are  butterflies  and  flowers  in 
similar  colorings  but  with  an  added  touch,  here  and  there,  of 
soft  brown.  The  borders  gracefully  complement  the  center  both 
in  color  and  design.  Chien-lung. 

{Illustrated) 


No.  125 

PEACH  GROUND  TEMPLE  RUG 

Length,  12  feet  9  inches;  width,  6  feet 

The  field  of  this  temple  carpet  is  a  deep  note  of  the  tone  found 
in  the  rare  peachblow  vases  and  is  of  unusual  excellence.  Two 
small,  well-modeled  blossoms  in  full  bloom  repeat  throughout, 
making  with  their  attendant  vine  and  leaf  formation,  a  beauti¬ 
fully  balanced  all-over  pattern.  The  colors  employed  are  a 
blanc-de-CJiine,  pale  gold  and  seal  brown  in  connection  with  a 
deep  rich  note  of  sapphire  and  robin’s-egg  blue  with  a  touch  of 
brownish  amber.  The  borders  are  simple,  being  a  light  dotted 
border  on  a  sapphire  band,  while  the  main  border  has  the  brown¬ 
ish  amber  field  carrying  just  a  suggestion  of  warmth  as  if  a 
reflection  of  the  warm  note  of  peach  in  the  center,  flowing  over 
which  is  a  well-proportioned  flower  and  scroll  formation  in  the 
complementary  colors  used  in  the  decoration  of  the  center.  Early 
Chien-lung. 


No.  124.  SEVENTEEN-MEDALLION  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  126 

FLOWER  AND  ANIMAL  RUG 


Length,  12  feet  4  inches;  width,  6  feet  6  inches 

Ku  l 

On  a  rich  cream  ground  is  placed  the  central  medallion,  the  main 
motif  being  a  lion  in  dark  blue.  The  supplementary  colors  are 
dark  blue  and  peach  with  touches  of  apricot.  There  are  four 
other  medallions,  two  carrying  the  lion  in  like  coloring  and  two 
being  floral  in  apricot  and  soft  yellow\  The  rest  of  the  decora¬ 
tions  in  the  field — which  are  principally  floral  with  butterflies — 
are  in  shades  of  peach,  dark  blue,  apricot  and  gold.  The  borders 
are  in  dark  blue,  apricot  and  ivory.  Chien-lung. 


No.  127 

LION  MEDALLION  CARPET 

Length,  11  feet  2  inches;  width,  10  feet  5  inches 

On  a  ripe  apricot  field  the  most  interesting  ornament  is  a  large 
central  medallion  with  a  flower  motif  in  dark  and  light  blue,  rich 
brown,  gold  and  ivory,  enclosing  a  central  reserve  decorated  with 
a  profusion  of  lions.  The  balance  of  the  field,  including  the 
corners,  are  flower  sprays  some  floating  free  and  others  in  formal 
vases,  combined  with  baskets  of  fruit,  and  while  there  is  some 
dark  and  light  blue  used  in  this  field  ornamentation,  the  color 
scheme  in  the  main  is  rather  restrained,  more  of  the  browns  and 
ivory  and  gold  being  employed.  There  is  a  wide  running  fret  of 
dark  and  light  blue  on  a  light  apricot  background  enclosed  by  a 
deep,  wide  sapphire  border  inset  with  unusually  beautifully  drawn 
and  colored  blossoms  with  attendant  sprays,  forming  with  but¬ 
terflies  an  all-over  pattern.  The  predominant  notes  of  color  in 
the  ornamentation  are  apricot,  soft  light  blue,  brown,  pale  yellow 
and  ivory.  This  is  all  surrounded  bv  a  broad  band  of  deep 
sapphire.  Iv’ang-hsi. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  128 


RUG  OF  “THE  HUNDRED  ANTIQUES' ' 

Length,  10  feet  3  inches;  width,  5  feet  8  inches 


The  field  of  this  rug  is  of  a  rich  deep  apricot  color  and  the  de- 


Ik 


signs  upon  it  are  woven  in  light  and  dark  blue,  two  shades  of 
yellow  and  a  reddish  brown.  A  limiting  border  of  corrosive  dve 
surrounds  the  entire  rug.  The  objects  which  fill  the  field  are 
copies  of  old  bronzes,  porcelains,  and  various  other  articles 
precious  to  the  Chinese.  Many  of  these  are  outlined  in  contrast¬ 
ing  colors  and  bear  decorations  of  significance.  There  are  scrolls, 
books,  altar  implements,  tripods,  vases  of  flowers,  brush  holders, 
ink-stones,  a  chess-board,  branches  of  coral,  a  lute,  incense,  vases, 
basins  and  stands  carrying  plants  and  fungus  growths,  a  rhinoc¬ 
eros  horn,  jade  charms,  etc.  In  the  main  border  a  dark  blue 
swastika  fret  is  laid  upon  a  ground  color  of  apricot  which  has 
faded  to  a  soft  dull  yellow.  Imposed  upon  this  fret  are  flower 
forms  carrying  signs  of  “Shou.”  Bands  of  yellow  and  two  shades 
of  blue  separate  the  main  border  from  the  field.  K’ang-hsi. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  129 


GROTESQUE  ANIMAL  RUG 

Length,  11  feet  3  inches;  width,  11  feet  3  inches 


This  rug  has  a  warm  ground  of  ivory  and  on  the  field  are  placed 
large  grotesque  animals  in  dark  blue  and  imperial  yellow  guard¬ 
ing  the  Sacred  Pearl.  The  complementary  ornaments  which  fill 
the  interspaces  are  various  interesting  emblems,  also  drawn  to 
a  large  scale,  and  they  include  the  Joo-ee  Wand,  The  Piece  of 
Coral,  The  Pair  of  Sandals,  the  Pak-wah,  Pieces  of  Fungus,  and 
so  forth.  The  border  is  geometrical  with  a  plain  outside  blue 
edge  about  five  inches  wide.  C’hien-lung. 


•  -Til It  HUNDRED  ANTIQUES" 


Second  Afternoon 


3  oO 


No.  130 


MIRROR  BACK  RUG 


Length,  13  feet  6  inches;  width,  6  feet  5  inches 

K’L"" 

This  is  a  specimen  of  the  earlier  weavings  of  the  K’ang-hsi  period. 
The  entire  background  is  a  shade  of  brownish  apricot  over  which 
is  laid  in  delicate  outline  the  interlacing  scroll  and  flower  form 
of  the  Lotus  in  low  tones  of  imperial  yellow,  sapphire  and  silver- 
blue.  The  central  reserve  is  a  mirror-back  medallion  with  an 
ash-white  ground,  representing  a  scene  in  Paradise  with  the 
Spotted  Deer  and  the  Fung-wang  in  the  foreground,  and  in  the 
corners  are  drawn  the  ancient  crude  representation  of  the  Dragon, 
composed  as  it  is  of  the  Dragon  head  attached  to  a  scroll  to  make 
an  ornament,  rather  than  drawing  the  animal  in  detail.  The 
two  borders  which  confine  this  piece  are  both  geometrical,  and 
also  attest  to  the  period  in  that  there  is  no  attempt  at  adorn¬ 
ment  beyond  the  simple  line  drawing.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  131 

MOSAIC  RUG 

j/j  Length,  13  feet  10  inches;  width,  6  feet  8  inches 

While  this  fabric  is  not  as  decorative  in  the  arrangement  of  its 
ornament  as  many  later  pieces,  it  is  a  product  of  the  later  Ming 
period.  The  unusual  shades  of  blue  throughout  the  piece  have 
a  delicacy  of  coloring  which  comes  from  its  great  age.  The 
supplementary  colors  which  combine  to  make  the  mosaic  effect 
in  the  center  are  also  considerably  lower  in  tone  than  these  same 
colors  appear  in  rugs  that  were  produced  more  recently.  The 
outer  border  is  a  swastika  fret  very  simply  designed,  and  the 
inner  is  a  crude  drawing  of  the  peony  flower  and  scroll  form. 
Ming. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  132 

rf)  () 

CARTOUCHE  BORDER  RUG 

,  Length,  11  feet;  width ,  6  feet 

M  7  tS 

The  soft  cream  ground  is  profusely  decorated  with  flowers,  plants 
and  butterflies  and  there  is  a  floral  medallion  in  the  center  in 
apricot,  gold,  dark  and  light  blue.  The  borders  both  differ 
from  the  usual  design  employed;  the  outer  one  has  a  series  of 
cartouches  each  in  a  different  design  and  this  surrounds  a  smaller 
border  of  a  flowing  swastika  fret  rather  oddly  drawn  in  ivory 
on  a  deep  blue  ground  and  overlaid  at  intervals  with  disks  in 
multicolor.  Chien-lung. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  133 

APRICOT  SILK  RUG 

Length,  13  feet  8  inches;  width,  7  feet 

i(ia ^t^y. 

This  is  an  exquisite  fabric  woven  for  use  in  a  temple.  The  back¬ 
ground  has  varying  tones  of  apricot  on  which  is  laid  a  decorative 
design  consisting  of  a  flat  flower-form  typical  of  the  ornament 
used  by  the  artists  of  this  period.  The  pile  is  of  silk  and  the 
colors  are  so  blended  as  to  give  a  pleasing  effect,  although  quite 
distinct  dark  blues,  light  blues,  ivory  and  some  green  are  used 
throughout.  K’ang-hsi. 


^  ^  ' 


No.  132.  CARTOUCHE  BORDER  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  134 

/O  7\  - 

RED-GOLD  RUG 

Length,  11  feet  3  inches;  •width,  9  feet  1  inch 

The  field  is  noteworthy  because  of  the  deep  shade  of  gold,  verging 
on  the  red  almost,  on  which  is  placed  a  larger  central  medal¬ 
lion  and  at  either  end  three  small  ones,  with  intermediate  large 
flower  sprays  in  dark  blue,  deep  apricot,  dull  gold,  and  ivory. 
The  main  border  is  floral  in  apricot,  da1  k  and  light  blue  and 
ivory,  surrounding  a  border  in  cooler  ?  aades  of  gold  with  a 
white  dotted  bordei  on  a  blue  ground  r  the  inside.  There  is 
a  broad  band  of  deep  blue  around  the  wh  le  rug.  Chien-lung. 

( Illustra  ed) 


No.  135 

TAUPE  SILK  TEMPLE  RUG 

Length,  14  feet;  width,  5  feet  6  inches 

The  field  and  the  plain  outside  edge  surrounding  the  design  in 
the  main  is  a  tawny  light  shade  of  ashes  of  roses  or  taupe,  and 
ranges  from  this  to  a  coppery  gold  tone  at  one  end.  The  design 
is  a  small  all-over,  but  very  refined,  rendition  of  the  foliate  orna¬ 
mentation  familiar  in  the  weavings  of  Turkestan.  The  colors 
are  beautiful,  being  clair-de-lune  and  shades  of  dusty  Gobelin 
blue,  peach-blow  and  pale  ecru.  The  main  border  has  a  field  of 
the  same  Gobelin  shade  that  is  used  in  the  center  ornament, 
overlaid  with  small  round  flowers  in  clusters,  in  tawny  yellow, 
taupe  and  a  touch  of  jade  in  the  stems.  The  confining  borders 
are  narrow  bands  of  imperial  yellow  with  a  running  conventional 
foliate  pattern.  The  color  and  shape,  as  well  as  the  quality  of 
the  materials,  would  infer  its  inception  for  use  in  a  temple. 
K’ang-hsi. 


No.  184.  RED-COLD  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  136 


\T7^- 


„  BUTTERFLY  CARPET 

Length,  13  feet  6  inches;  width,  8  feet  10  inches 


TUdt/ 


A  light  pinkish  copper  tone  is  covered  with  butterflies,  sprays 
and  medallions  in  light  blue,  dark  blue  and  ivory.  The  decora¬ 
tion  is  refined  in  detail  and  very  gracefully  drawn,  the  butter¬ 
flies  especially  attractive.  The  borders  are  narrower  than  are 
usually  employed  by  the  weaver  in  making  a  rug  as  large  as  this,, 
and  the  detail  shows  the  same  refinement  as  the  center  decora¬ 
tion.  Chien-lung. 


CMVc t 


No.  137 

^  OO  '  LARGE  APRICOT  AND  BLUE  RUG 

Length,  12  feet  8  inches;  width,  11  feet 

An  all-over  field  of  warm  light  tan  is  covered  with  a  closely  packed 
all-over  scroll  in  deep  blue,  broken  at  regular  intervals  by  large 
oval  blossoms  in  dark  blue,  light  blue  and  ivory.  A  sapphire 
running  fret  on  a  yellow  ground  surrounds  this,  and  the  main 
border  is  a  very  delicate  tracery  both  in  color  and  outline  in 
soft  yellow  and  ivory,  on  a  tawny  apricot  field.  There  is  a  wide 
band  of  corrosive  brown  around  the  outside,  and  the  rug  both 
in  color  and  design  is  very  well  balanced.  Late  Ming. 


No.  138 

^  BLACK  AND  OLD  RED  PALACE  CARPET 

j  Length,  16  feet  7  inches;  width,  17  feet  9  inches 

This  large  carpet  was  made  for  use  in  a  palace  or  the  residence- 
of  a  wealthy  mandarin  and  is  interesting  because  of  the  fact 
that  there  are  only  two  colors  employed,  a  blue  black  and  a  dull 
soft  red.  The  design  in  the  center  is  geometrical  in  a  small  all- 
over  repetitive  pattern.  The  border  is  a  double  swastika  fret 
supplemented  by  simple  line  formations  and  small  detail.  The 
field  of  the  center  is  black  and  of  two  of  the  small  borders,  while 
the  ornament  is  the  secondary  color  which  is  used  as  the  back¬ 
ground  of  the  main  border.  K’ang-hsi. 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  139 

3  <F $  '  MAGNOLIA  RUG 

Length,  12  feet  10  inches;  width,  6  feet  11  inches 

Magnolia  blossoms  and  leaves  and  stems  in  shades  of  blue,  apricot 
and  brown  are  attractively  and  symbolically  arranged  as  though 
dependent  for  support  upon  the  light  blue  trellis  that  spreads 
over  the  cream-colored  field  of  this  rug.  A  single  medallion 
in  the  center  shows  red  geometric  and  blue  floral  forms.  The 
hollow  T-design  in  shades  of  blue  adorns  the  cream-colored  outer 
border,  from  which  the  field  is  separated  by  an  inner  border 
carrying  a  simple  scroll  design  in  blue.  Chien-lung. 

( Illustrated ) 


No.  140 


SIX-POINTED  STAR  RUG 

,  Length,  12  feet  7  inches;  width,  11  feet  6  inches 

This  is  an  early  example  and  should  be  placed  among 
Ming  productions.  The  field  is  composed  of  crude  drawing  of 
the  Grain  of  Rice  pattern  in  dark  blue  on  a  very  soft  old  yellow 
background  with  diamond  outline  surrounding  it  in  cuboid  form 
which  gives  an  all-over  lattice  effect  to  the  field.  Laid  upon 
this  are  very  crudely  drawn  six-pointed  star-shaped  forms  about 
one  foot  in  diameter  and  placed  about  fifteen  inches  apart,  with 
the  points  made  flat ;  the  ground  of  this  being  a  delicate  apricot 
shade  with  one  Western  Lotus  Flower  in  dark  and  light  blue  in 
the  center  supported  by  fine  scroll  tracery  in  soft  ivory  and  pale 
gold  tones.  The  ground  of  the  border — which  is  about  eight 
inches  wide — is  a  warm  apricot  tone  with  a  dark  blue  swastika 
fret  tracery,  with  a  plain  outside  edge  of  brown  about  three 
inches  wide.  Ming. 


flUcu 

the  late 


/  3oo 


yp  tP 


4'4 


No.  139.  MAGNOLIA  RUG 


JCnpjtnni 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  141 


THE  DISK  HUG 


Ki 


Length ,  12  feet  9  inches;  ■width,  6  feet  5  inches 


The  quality  of  this  rug  is  unusually  fine  and  it  has  not  been  sub¬ 
jected  to  much  wear.  The  ground  is  a  grayish  white  and  on 
this  are  five  small  medallions  geometrical  in  style,  and  through¬ 
out  the  rest  of  the  field,  both  singly  and  in  clusters,  are  pro¬ 
fusely  sprinkled  small  disks  containing  different  symbols  and 
small  flower  detail,  the  majority  in  dark  blue  but  with  touches 
here  and  there  of  the  colors.  The  borders  are  elaborately  ren¬ 
dered  in  detail  principally  in  dark  blue,  but  also  enlivened  with 
touches  of  color.  The  shape  of  the  rug  indicates  that  it  was 
made  for  temple  use.  Chien-lung. 


( Illustrated ) 


No.  142 


THE  EIGHT -LI ON  RUG 


Length,  13  feet;  width,  12  feet 


The  ground  is  a  pinkish  shade  of  apricot  and  in  the  center  there 
is  a  large  medallion  outlined  by  geometrical  formation  with  a 
central  reserve  of  foliate  ornamentation.  The  important  decora¬ 
tion  in  the  field  are  eight  Lions  supplemented  by  cloud  formations 
and  foliate  ornament  in  soft  pink,  brown,  dark  and  light  blue, 
ivory  and  peach.  The  color  scheme  throughout  is  harmoniously 
balanced,  so  that  there  are  no  positive  points  of  color.  There 
is  a  small  white  dotted  border  on  a  dark  blue  ground  next  the 
field,  surrounded  by  a  peach-colored  Wall  of  Troy,  also  on  a 
dark  blue  ground.  The  main  or  outer  border,  which  carries  the 
same  dark  blue  field  as  the  other  two,  has  peony  blossoms  and 
their  attendant  foliage  in  light  blue,  ivory  and  peach  color,  with 
a  touch  here  and  there  of  imperial  yellow,  alternating  with  car- 
touches  having  either  imperial  yellow  or  ivory  fields  on  which 
are  placed  symbolical  ornaments,  such  as  the  Sonorous  Stone,  the 
Wheel  of  Fortune,  and  other  designs.  K’ang-hsi. 


No.  141.  THE  DISK  RUG 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  143 

TEMPLE  RUG 

Lenqth,  14  feet  10  inches:  width,  7  feet  8  inches 

)\  L 

Upon  an  imperial  yellow  background  are  placed  a  series  of  floral 
medallions.  These  are  of  dark  and  light  blue  with  alternating 
arrangement  of  shades  of  apricot  and  ivory,  and  are  counter¬ 
balanced  with  sprays  of  many  different  types  of  the  flora  of 
China,  interspersed  with  many-hued  butterflies. 

The  color  play  in  the  flower  forms  is  balanced  with  that  of  the 
color  schemes  in  the  medallions,  with  the  addition  of  a  touch  here 
and  there  of  a  brilliant  pink,  which  same  rich  note  of  pink  forms 
an  inner  flat  key  border  on  a  dark  blue  ground  surrounding  the 
field.  The  main  border  carries  a  dark  blue  ground  enriched  by  a 
foliated  peony  scroll,  the  whole  framed  with  a  broad  band  of 
deep  blue. 

This  shaped  carpet  was  peculiar  to  temple  use  and  the  rug  pre¬ 
sumably  was  made  for  a  private  temple  of  a  member  of  the  reign¬ 
ing  family.  Chien-lung. 


No.  144 

LION  PALACE  CARPET 

Length,  16  feet  3  inches;  width,  16  feet  3  inches 

\A^  - 

This  is  an  interesting  example  both  in  color  and  design  of  the 
old-type  palace  carpets,  woven  for  an  important  room  in  the 
royal  apartments.  The  field,  of  a  brownish  copper  tone,  has  a 
medallion  of  four  heroic-sized  lions  guarding  a  ball  in  the  center 
tied  with  an  elaborated  fillet,  the  colors  being  in  dark  and  light 
blue,  ivory  and  tan,  and  in  the  four  corners  are  geometrically 
drawn  cloud  bands.  The  borders  are  elaborated  in  detail,  the 
predominating  colors  throughout  being  the  complementary  col¬ 
ors  of  the  field.  While  pure  Chinese,  there  is  an  Early  English 
Gothic  feeling  both  to  the  design  and  color.  It  was  woven  during 
the  seventeenth  century  and  is  noteworthy  because  of  the  dig¬ 
nity  and  restraint  displayed  in  the  decoration  of  the  field.  K’ang- 
hsi. 


/  /0  0 


Second  Afternoon 


No.  145 

GRAND  TEMPLE  CARPET 

Length,  32  feet  6  inches;  width,  31  feet  9  inches 

No  description  could  in  any  way  do  justice  to  the  dignity  and 
importance  of  this  regal  carpet,  made  for  an  imperial  temple 
in  China.  The  great  size  and  beauty  of  the  rug  give  silent  testi¬ 
mony  to  all  the  claims  made  for  it. 

In  color  it  is  of  the  peculiar  shade  known  as  mandarin  orange, 
and  the  entire  field,  with  the  exception  of  a  large  mirror-back 
medallion  in  the  center  of  apricot,  is  laid  in  this  color. 

The  design  both  in  the  central  square  and  over  the  entire  field 
is  Perso-Chinese,  and  belongs  to  the  early  period  in  the  scroll  and 
foliate  ornamentation  which  developed  under  the  control  and 
guidance  of  imperial  artists  in  the  eighteenth  century. 

It  was  made  to  fit  the  private  worshipping  temple  used  by  the 
late  Empress  Dowager  of  China,  and  during  the  occupation  of 
the  Forbidden  City  by  the  Foreign  Allies  in  1900,  half  of  the 
rug,  which  had  been  made  in  two  pieces  to  fit  to  the  columns  in 
the  center  of  the  room,  was  stolen,  and  the  other  half,  according 
to  the  Chinese  idea,  having  been  defiled,  was  offered  for  sale.  The 
representative  of  the  Tiffany  Studios  in  China  located  the  stolen 
half  in  a  pawn-shop  in  Northwestern  China,  then  the  purchase 
of  the  other  half  was  made  in  Pekin,  and  the  two  pieces  brought 
to  this  country  and  the  fabric  made  into  one  perfect  whole.  So 
far  as  is  known  it  is  the  largest  antique  piece  of  fine  weaving  ever 
undertaken  in  China,  and  certainly  no  other  old  Chinese  rug  has 
been  shown  in  America  that  could  be  compared  with  it.  Chien- 
lung. 


AMERICAN  ART  ASSOCIATION, 

Managers. 


THOMAS  E.  KIRBY, 

Auctioneer. 


FOR  INHERITANCE  TAX 


AND  OTHER  PURPOSES 


The  American  Art  Association 


IS  EXCEPTIONALLY  WELL  EQUIPPED 
TO  FURNISH 


INTELLIGENT  APPRAISEMENTS 


ART  AND  LITERARY  PROPERTY 
JEWELS  AND  PERSONAL  EFFECTS  OF  EVERY 

DESCRIPTION 


IN  CASES  WHERE 

PUBLIC  SALES  ARE  EFFECTED 

A  NOMINAL  CHARGE  ONLY  WILL  BE  MADE 


THE  AMERICAN  ART  ASSOCIATION 

MADISON  SQUARE  SOUTH 
NEW  YORK 


TELEPHONE,  3346  GRAMERCY 


COMPOSITION.  PRESSWORK 
AND  BINDING  BY 


(jUU*  Us3s{ 


L 

916*6461  A512T 


112569 


* 

i 


X-  — 


PAMPHLET  BINDER 


i-  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

— — ^  Stockton,  Calif. 


I 


